Bombay HC threatens BJP MLA with contempt for impeding a redevelopment project

Last week, the Bombay High Court threatened to file a contempt case against Captain Tamil Selvan, a BJP MLA from Sion Koliwada for interfering with an SRA official's attempt at an eviction drive. The HC instructed the police to detain him if he disrupts law and order. A petition for contempt of court filed by SD Corp which is working on a redevelopment project in Antop Hill was being heard in court. 820 of the 850 slums that SRA classified as eligible huts were handed possession of alternative housing.

The builder said that thirteen of them had encroached and were no longer qualified but were still refusing to leave despite numerous notifications which were having an adverse effect on the project. The Bombay High Court granted permission for the dismantling of thirteen huts after S D Corp filed a writ suit there, citing Selvan as respondent. In accordance with this court decision the SRA team and police began demolishing eight huts on February 28 after Selvan prevented them from doing so.

“The panchnama indicated that the sixth respondent (Selvan) actually caused the impediment. We provide notice to the sixth respondent that he is not permitted to obstruct or hinder the execution of court orders due to his position. According to Section 2(c)(iii) of the 1971 Contempt of Courts Act it can even amount to criminal contempt of court,” the court stated.

HC declared that it would not take any urgent action as Selvan was not present. Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale's HC bench order stated, "We won't hold back if it becomes necessary, if the obstacle to the execution of the court's orders continues and we count the current obstruction as the first act of contempt of court. We again provide the go-ahead for the SRA project's eviction program.”

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Bombay HC threatens BJP MLA with contempt for impeding a redevelopment project

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