BMC had illegally given permission, says former ACP

Mumbai, Apr 2 (UNI) Former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Shankar Kamble today said Brihanbumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials had illegally given permission for reconstruction of Sara and Sahara shopping complexes, to henchman of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar on Central Goverment's reserved land at Crawford Market in South Mumbai.

Deposing before Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act Judge Mridula Bhatkar here, the investigating officer said BMC officers had given no-objection certificate (NOC) for construction of shopping complexes under 'repairing, renovation and re-construction.' The said plot belonged to Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which was reserved for a school and garage.

Mr Kamble said the case came into light after a woman, whose hut was infront of the complexes was evicted by alleged Dawood henchmen - Abdul Sattar and Abdul Radhanpur.

He said the MCOCA court had appointed a receiver to make an inventory and submit the report in the court. The court receiver had submitted its report in which it was stated that there were 350-odd shops constructed.

The land was alloted on 99-year lease to one Munim in 1939 by the then British Governor. In that agreement it was mentioned the structure can not be repaired, renovated or re-constructed without prior permission. The original landlord passed away in the early 70's.

However, in the year 2000, some officers from the BMC's Building Proposal Department (Development Plan) allowed construction of the Sara Shopping Complex.

The four BMC officials - executive engineer HP Shah, former ward officer Kiran Achrekar, assistant engineers Narendra Rajbhar and Shirish Salvekar have been arrested under MCOCA.

Other accused in the case is Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of Dawood. He is alleged to be the main beneficiary from the construction of the illegal malls.

UNI