7 illegal structures razed, civic chief refuses to name owners

Mumbai, July 29 (UNI) Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Johny Joseph today said the civic body had demolished seven illegal structures, housing 250-odd shops, around the controversial 'Sara Sahara' twin shopping complexes at crawford market here.

''We have demolished seven illegal structures, constructed around the twin shopping complexes of Sara and Sahara,'' he told reporters.

However, he declined to comment whether the structures belonged to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar who has been designated as a ''Global Terrorist'' by the US. He refused to divulge names of the owners of the illegal structures.

He said the civic body had issued notices to all the seven illegal structures and action was taken today.

Regarding ''Sara Sahara'' he said, ''We have sought legal opinion on it. Besides, the legality of the twin shopping complexes is being heard by the court and the matter is sub judice.'' Two writ petitions are pending in the Bombay High Court pertaining to the ''Sara Sahara'' complexes and, therefore, they were not demolished today.

Eds: Pls pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI ST MAZ VD KN1941