Mumbai crime: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, others booked for 'inaugurating' bridge sans civic body's nod

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Mumbai crime: The Mumbai Police registered a case against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and some other leaders of his party early on Saturday for allegedly "inaugurating" part of a bridge in Lower Parel area of the city without the civic body's permission, an official said, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, the first information report (FIR) in this connection was registered based on a complaint lodged by a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official, he said.

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The complaint said that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray, MLCs Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde, former Mumbai mayors Kishori Padnekar and Snehal Ambekar, and 15 to 20 others inaugurated the second carriageway of the Delisle Bridge in Lower Parel on Thursday night without the permission of the BMC commissioner/administrator, the news agency reported.

The act was deemed illegal by the BMC as the bridge was still incomplete and not certified safe for use, the official said, adding that concerns were also raised over the potential risk the premature use of the bridge posed to motorists.

Based on the complaint, the FIR under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 143, 149 (both pertaining to unlawful assembly), 336 (rash or negligent act) and 447 (criminal trespass) was registered against Thackeray and others, he said.

Aaditya Thackeray represents the Worli assembly constituency in Mumbai.

Following the inauguration of the bridge, Aaditya Thackeray wrote on X, "While we waited on the @mybmc to open the full bridge to people for use, it has been almost 10 days that the other side has been ready and waiting for a VIP to inaugurate it. We inaugurated it last night and today, the BMC under the pressure of Khoke Sarkar has closed it down again, waiting for a govt inauguration, only to trouble the citizens of Mumbai. Why can't it be thrown open for the people instead of waiting for the guardian minister's ego and convenience?"

The undivided Shiv Sena was in power in Maharashtra along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress from November 2019 to June 2022, till Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde's rebellion brought the government led by Uddhav Thackeray down.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde's rebellion had also led to a split in the Shiv Sena.

The party led by CM Eknath Shinde, who is currently the chief minister of the state, claims to be the "real" Shiv Sena. It joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government in the state.

Meanwhile, after an unofficial inauguration by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, the BMC announced that the Delisle Road bridge at Parel will be opened within the next three to four days. The completion of this bridge's construction has already been delayed by a year. Back in February 2023, mid-day was the first to report that the bridge was slated for reopening post-monsoon.

(with PTI inputs)