Mumbai: How Sena goon terrorised collapsed Ghatkopar building residents

Accused Sunil Shitap in police custody. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

Sunil Shitap had forcibly taken custody of the flats on the ground floor of Siddhi Sai Apartment in 2007 and converted them into a hospital, inquiries into his alleged wrongdoings have revealed. Survivors told mid-day that the Shiv Sena leader had thrown out the owner of the flats after the latter had failed to repay a loan he had taken from Shitap.

Perhaps hoping for some help from the almighty, a fireman of the Mumbai Fire Brigade gingerly places an idol of Lord Ganesha recovered from the debris during rescue work at the site where the four-storeyed Siddhi Sai Apartment collapsed. Pic/Shadab Khan

The three flats on the ground floor, measuring 700, 650 and 450 sqft, belonged to a chartered accountant, Surendra Damle, who had been living there with his wife Manisha and two daughters since the building came up in 1983.

One of the oldest residents of the building, who escaped Tuesday's crash by a whisker, L J Ramchandani, said, "Damle was an alcoholic. He had mortgaged the flats to Shitap. In 2007, even as Damle was working towards repaying the loan, Shitap barged in one morning with policemen and forcibly took custody of the property. Damle was taken to the police station and two policemen were posted outside the flats, as workers emptied the houses. The cries of his wife and daughters went unheard."

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"Damle was hurt that no one from the society dared to stop Shitap. So, later, in a fit of rage, he returned to the building and set all documents on fire," recalled Ramchandani.

Shitap's goondagiri
Soon after Shitap took over the flats, he started bullying the others, residents alleged. Even though the transfer charges payable to the society were Rs 30,000 per flat, he paid only Rs 20,000 for one flat and refused to pay anything for the others, challenging the residents to take action against him.

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Ramchandani recalled of knowing Shitap as a cable operator and not much educated; his mother worked as a domestic help. After the crash, even as the Sena distanced itself from Shitap, with senior leaders saying he doesn't hold any post, the party has been flip-flopping on it. Shitap's wife Swati had contested the BMC election on a Sena ticket but lost to the MNS candidate.

In 2008, when Shitap started breaking down the flats to build a hospital, Ramchandani objected. A society meeting was convened, where Ramchandani was left alone in his opposition.

Also read - Ghatkopar building collapse: Shiv Sena leader held, charged with culpable homicide

Sitap threatened them and said, "Mera jo ukhaad na hai, ukhaadlo, jise complaint karna hai, karlo" (Do whatever you want against me; complain to whomsoever you feel like).

"It was more like taking on personal enmity with Shitap; with no supporters, even I decided to keep quiet," he added.

Anonymous complaints
Some residents sent anonymous complaints to the BMC, and though official notices were sent, no action was ever taken. The flats were converted into a hospital, and Shitap continued paying a nominal maintenance charge of Rs 600. Within a few months of the conversion, he leased out the premises to Dr Padma Khade for a monthly rent of Rs 1 lakh, which was later increased to Rs 1.25 lakh.

Also read - Ghatkopar building collapse: Did Shiv Sena leader's 'illegal' renovations cause collapse?

A few years later, Shitap even bought a flat on the first floor, which he started using as an office for the hospital.

On-site tension
Tension prevailed on the crash site last evening, when the police instructed the workers to remove the hospital board, placed as a standalone banner close to the site.

"We don't want anyone to touch the board. The police are deliberately removing it to assist the accused," alleged a resident.