Illegal mandir and maikhana land justdial boss in a soup
VSS Mani, chairman of the pan-India search engine Justdial, was taken to the Oshiwara police station on Wednesday after he allegedly threatened BMC officials who turned up at his Lokhandwala duplex to investigate charges of illegal construction and encroachment.
According to residents of Lokhandwala’s Oberoi Sky Heights, Mani has been renovating his 11,000-sq-ft duplex for over a year, adding a bar and a temple without permissions. The alleged encroachment has come up in the common lobby on the 24th floor.
Residents say the construction work has ruined the quiet in the complex and they fear it may drag on for two more years. They also claim that apart from the BMC’s rules, the renovations do not conform to the society’s laws.
BMC officials, in their statement to the Oshiwara police, said that VSS Mani, chairman of the pan-India search engine Justdial, was taken to the Oshiwara police station on Wednesday after he allegedly threatened BMC officials who turned up at his Lokhandwala duplex to investigate charges of illegal construction and encroachment.
According to residents of Lokhandwala's Oberoi Sky Heights, Mani has been renovating his 11,000-sq-ft duplex for over a year, adding a bar and a temple without permissions. The alleged encroachment has come up in the common lobby on the 24th floor.
Residents say the construction work has ruined the quiet in the complex and they fear it may drag on for two more years. They also claim that apart from the BMC's rules, the renovations do not conform to the society's laws.
Mani refuted the claims. “All the allegations are false and baseless. We have all the required permissions in place,“ he said.
BMC officials, in their statement to the Oshiwara police, said that they were forced to take the matter to the police after they were threatened by Mani when they visited the 24th floor duplex on Wednesday for an inspection. Mani's driver was recording the proceedings on his cellphone on Mani's behest, the officials alleged.
Oshiwara police arrived at the scene after they were intimated by the concerned BMC officials.
Mani and the labourers were taken to the police station where statements from both the parties (Mani and the BMC officials) were recorded. BMC officials were asked to register a complaint as per the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
However, Mani maintained that he was not guilty of the accusations.“These people are jealous as I bought two apartments in the building and just want to harass me. The BMC, too, could not find any fault in my house and they are supporting me.“
The apartments are owned by the Justdial chairman's family trust.
According to Mani, he had obliged the society members whenever they approached him with an objection, but was continuously harassed by them.
“Some of them would come and pick up the drill machines and abuse my labourers. Only few members are against me, while the other residents have no problem,“ he told Mirror.
Meanwhile, Sunil Vazrani, the secretary of the society, said, “First, he sealed the common area that was meant to be used by all members. He sealed the main gate of his duplex flat and erected a wall over there.Second, he is making a bar and a small temple in the lift lobby, blocking the entire floor.“
But Mani told Mirror that he had permission to build the wall near his main door.
Vazrani also alleged that the society had served three notices to him and despite Mani's wife promising to remove the encroachments, nothing has been done yet.
“Apart from this, he has started to threaten the members in the society.He pretends to speak to the Commissioner of the Mumbai police and other biggies and tries to scare us. This is not done. We shall not tolerate this nonsense any more,“ Vazrani added.
The residents complained to the BMC about the alleged encroachments and the illegal structures being constructed by Mani, apart from the daily nuisance caused by use of drills, saws and marble-cutters.
Subhash Khanvillkar, senior inspector of Oshiwara police station, said, “We have asked them (BMC) to serve a notice to the owner of the flat and then if he does not remove the encroachments, we will file an FIR against him.“
According to residents of Lokhandwala’s Oberoi Sky Heights, Mani has been renovating his 11,000-sq-ft duplex for over a year, adding a bar and a temple without permissions. The alleged encroachment has come up in the common lobby on the 24th floor.
Residents say the construction work has ruined the quiet in the complex and they fear it may drag on for two more years. They also claim that apart from the BMC’s rules, the renovations do not conform to the society’s laws.
Mani refuted the claims. “All the allegations are false and baseless. We have all the required permissions in place,” he said.
BMC officials, in their statement to the Oshiwara police, said that VSS Mani, chairman of the pan-India search engine Justdial, was taken to the Oshiwara police station on Wednesday after he allegedly threatened BMC officials who turned up at his Lokhandwala duplex to investigate charges of illegal construction and encroachment.
According to residents of Lokhandwala's Oberoi Sky Heights, Mani has been renovating his 11,000-sq-ft duplex for over a year, adding a bar and a temple without permissions. The alleged encroachment has come up in the common lobby on the 24th floor.
Residents say the construction work has ruined the quiet in the complex and they fear it may drag on for two more years. They also claim that apart from the BMC's rules, the renovations do not conform to the society's laws.
Mani refuted the claims. “All the allegations are false and baseless. We have all the required permissions in place,“ he said.
BMC officials, in their statement to the Oshiwara police, said that they were forced to take the matter to the police after they were threatened by Mani when they visited the 24th floor duplex on Wednesday for an inspection. Mani's driver was recording the proceedings on his cellphone on Mani's behest, the officials alleged.
Oshiwara police arrived at the scene after they were intimated by the concerned BMC officials.
Mani and the labourers were taken to the police station where statements from both the parties (Mani and the BMC officials) were recorded. BMC officials were asked to register a complaint as per the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
However, Mani maintained that he was not guilty of the accusations.“These people are jealous as I bought two apartments in the building and just want to harass me. The BMC, too, could not find any fault in my house and they are supporting me.“
The apartments are owned by the Justdial chairman's family trust.
According to Mani, he had obliged the society members whenever they approached him with an objection, but was continuously harassed by them.
“Some of them would come and pick up the drill machines and abuse my labourers. Only few members are against me, while the other residents have no problem,“ he told Mirror.
Meanwhile, Sunil Vazrani, the secretary of the society, said, “First, he sealed the common area that was meant to be used by all members. He sealed the main gate of his duplex flat and erected a wall over there.Second, he is making a bar and a small temple in the lift lobby, blocking the entire floor.“
But Mani told Mirror that he had permission to build the wall near his main door.
Vazrani also alleged that the society had served three notices to him and despite Mani's wife promising to remove the encroachments, nothing has been done yet.
“Apart from this, he has started to threaten the members in the society.He pretends to speak to the Commissioner of the Mumbai police and other biggies and tries to scare us. This is not done. We shall not tolerate this nonsense any more,“ Vazrani added.
The residents complained to the BMC about the alleged encroachments and the illegal structures being constructed by Mani, apart from the daily nuisance caused by use of drills, saws and marble-cutters.
Subhash Khanvillkar, senior inspector of Oshiwara police station, said, “We have asked them (BMC) to serve a notice to the owner of the flat and then if he does not remove the encroachments, we will file an FIR against him.“
