Mumbai: Five days after scam, cops take aim at civic officials

Rudransh building that is part of the scam in VVCMC’s jurisdiction. Pics/Hanif Patel

As the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Thane, that was in hibernation for the past two years, has woken up and intervened to probe old files of complaints related to the unstoppable unauthorised constructions in the jurisdiction of Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), the police, who are investigating the scam, have questioned what the civic body was doing when the illegal buildings mushroomed. They want to know why the municipal commissioner is silent over the issue. As they try hard to leave no stone unturned, they have accused VVCMC personnel of doing nothing when the buildings were being constructed.

A senior police officer in Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police told mid-day that unauthorised constructions of buildings are rampant in Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara. "Everyone is a builder here in VVCMC area but the civic officials are mute spectators. I am wondering what the Town Planners are doing and why they are being paid. I am wondering why the VVCMC commissioner is silent over the whole issue. He must conduct a press conference to clear the confusion," said the senior police officer.

An activist had complained to all concerned authorities about a builder constructing an illegal top floor at Kalpataru Corner building at Nalasopara West and claims no action was taken. Pics/Hanif Patel

"Our officers have been burning the midnight oil to investigate the multi-crore housing scam, as VVCMC officials did nothing when these buildings were being constructed. Their inaction has led our men to probe the matter. This is not fair. The VVCMC must not shy from addressing the media to disclose what the civic officials were doing when these buildings were being constructed," said the officer.

VVCMC locating buildings

Highly placed sources at Virar police told mid-day that the VVCMC officials have been scratching their heads to locate the buildings which the scammers have constructed in broad daylight. At the time of the arrests, the Virar police had confiscated 55 files of unauthorised buildings from the possessions of scammers. "But these files are really very ambiguous. Even the VVCMC officials are having a tough time locating the buildings and the details mentioned in the files are really very confusing," said a source.

Another source at Virar police said that the VVCMC officials have been given the details of a total of 155 unauthorised buildings. "It is really very surprising that none of these buildings have undergone a fire audit and most of these structures are faulty in design. In case of an emergency, the occupants will have to face dire consequences as there is no safe exit. Also, the VVCMC has not done structural audit in these buildings and a few of them could be in a dilapidated condition and may collapse even due to a mild tremor or heavy rainfall," said the source.

Another case in Nalasopara

Activist Terrence Hendriques had complained to all the concerned authorities including VVCMC, Palghar police superintendent and ACB, Thane about a Borivli-based builder, Girish Premchand Panchal, who had constructed an illegal top floor at Kalpataru Corner building at Nalasopara West by allegedly acquiring a fake Commencement Certificate (CC), a copy of which is in possession of mid-day. The building was demolished three months back due to a fault in its structure.

Shree Gurukrupa Apartments, one of the 55 buildings built illegally in Vasai-Virar

"Panchal got a fake CC made and developed one more floor. Each floor had three flats in Kalpataru Corner," Hendriques told mid-day. "I complained to VVCMC and a civic clerk, Mahesh Namdev Patil, who was attached to encroachment department, filed an FIR under sections of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. Ideally, the civic officer should also have invoked multiple stringent sections of IPC, MOFA, Registration Act, as it is a criminal offence to get a fake CC made. Since Panchal was booked only under MRTP Act, he secured bail to prevent his arrest," he added.

Hendriques claimed he then wrote letters to Palghar Police, VVCMC Commissioner, ACB, Thane on October 20, 2021. But no action was taken. "All of a sudden, on August 4, I received a letter from ACB, Thane whose inspector Swapnil Juikar summoned me. I recorded my statement on August 7 about the issue that I complained about in October 2021. Had this scam not been exposed to this level, the ACB would not have bothered to call me," he added.

ACB inspector Juikar said, "A few months ago, I was given the complaint file and after I found that the complainant's statement was not recorded. I summoned him and last week his statement has been recorded. Now we are conducting the investigation and if anything is found suspicious against the accused, we will take action against him."