HC rejects Sood's plea against illegal construction notice

    (Eds: Adding judge's quotes, case background)
Mumbai, Jan 21 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Thursday
dismissed an appeal and an interim application filed by
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood against a BMC notice over alleged
illegal construction carried out by him at his residential
building in Juhu area of Mumbai.
    Justice Prithviraj Chavan, while dismissing the
actor's appeal and application, said, "Law helps only those
who are diligent."
    Sood's lawyer Amogh Singh sought a time of 10 weeks
to comply with the notice issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) in October last year, and requested the HC
to direct the civic body to not initiate demolition action.
    The court, however, refused and said the actor had
ample opportunity in the past and if required, he could
approach the civic body.
    "The ball is now in the office of the BMC...you (Sood)
may approach them," Justice Chavan said.
    "You (Sood) are too late. You had ample opportunity,"
the judge added.
     Sood approached the high court earlier this month
challenging an order of a city civil court at Dindoshi that
had dismissed his suit against the BMC's notice issued over
the alleged illegal construction carried out by him.
    The actor in the interim application had sought an
order from the high court restraining the BMC from taking any
coercive action against his residential property in Juhu area.
    As per the BMC, Sood had carried out structural
changes in the six-storey residential building 'Shakti Sagar',
and converted it into a hotel without taking requisite
permissions.
    The actor in his plea claimed he had not carried out
any illegal or unauthorised construction in the building.
     "The petitioner (Sood) has not made any changes in
the building that warrants permission from the BMC. Only those
changes that are allowed under the Maharashtra Regional and
Town Planning (MRTP) Act have been done," Sood's advocate
Amogh Singh had argued.
    After receiving the notice from the BMC, the actor had
approached the civil court, but failed to get relief following
which he filed an appeal in the high court.
    The BMC earlier this month also filed a complaint at
the Juhu police station, seeking an FIR to be lodged against
Sood for allegedly converting the residential building into a
hotel without permission.
    The complaint letter was sent to the police after the
BMC inspected the building and found that Sood had allegedly
not complied with the requisitions and was continuing
unauthorised construction even after the notice was served to
him in October last year.
    The police are yet to register FIR in the case.
    Sood, who is known for his roles in films like
"Dabangg", "Jodha Akbar" and "Simmba", came into spotlight
last year for his philanthropy work in helping migrants reach
their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown. PTI SP VT
GK GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)