The HC, in an order passed on August 11, a copy of which was made available on Monday, noted that the building ‘H N Petit Widows Home’ was located on a busy road and in the event of any untoward incident, it could cause loss of lives.

A division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata upheld the BMC technical advisory committee’s (TAC) decision holding that the building was in a dilapidated and dangerous condition and has to be hence demolished.

Based on the committee’s report, the BMC in April this year issued a letter to the building’s landlord to vacate the premises.

A few occupants of the building and tenants who run shops on its ground floor, however, refused to vacate the premises and moved the HC arguing that the structure only needed minor repairs.

The ground plus five floor structure is more than 100 years old. It was used for providing hostel facilities to widows.

Due to the building’s poor condition, the widows residing there were moved to another hostel in 2019.

In October 2021, the civic body’s TAC held a structural audit meet wherein it came to the conclusion that the building was in a dilapidated condition and may collapse, thereby endangering life of not only the residents but also passersby.

It said the building had to be demolished at the earliest.

The high court in its order noted that the TAC had rightly formed its opinion, and said it was not inclined to form a differing opinion.

It is an admitted fact that the said building is situated on a plot of land in a very congested and crowded area of Bhuleshwar (in south Mumbai) and lots of people are passing through the road on which the building is located, the court said.

If this building is allowed to be retained, if any untoward incident occurs then there will be a loss of lives not only of the occupants of the building but also passersby, the bench said.

The court further held that the plot on which the building stands also abuts the proposed Metro rail alignment and falls within the influence zone of station areas.

We also take note of the fact that a substantial part of the land beneath the building is affected by regular line as well as by the Metro, the HC said.

If the building is demolished and is not reconstructed, then the tenants have an alternate remedy in law, it added.

The court said it cannot accede to the request of the petitioners, who are occupants/tenants of the ground floor to repair the building as this would protect their interest, but would ignore the rights of the building’s landlord and other occupants.

The HC, while upholding the TAC’s decision and the BMC’s letter of April 2022, directed the occupants to vacate the premises within three weeks so that the building could be demolished.

If the occupants do not vacate the premises, then the BMC can take forcible possession and carry out demolition, the court said.

The bench also refused to stay its order, saying it has already granted three weeks’ time to the petitioners to vacate the premises.

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After spending so many days in Bhaykhala jail actor Rhea Chakraborty has been granted bail  over drugs-related charges in the Sushant Singh Rajput case from Bombay high court .

A special court  had yesterday extended their judicial custody till October 20 but HC granted bail to RHEA although court  rejected her brother shauvik bail application .

Rhea Chakraborty was arrested on September 8 by the Narcotics Control Bureau on charges of organizing drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput, a popular movie star who was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on June 14. She was accused of being “an active member of a drugs syndicate” and financing drugs bought for Sushant Singh Rajput, her boyfriend.

In her bail petition, Rhea Chakraborty alleged that Sushant Singh Rajput “took advantage of those closest to him to sustain his drug habit” and that she and her brother are sole targets of a witch-hunt.

She said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his family abandoned him at the peak of his depression. His mental health “deteriorated during the lockdown”, she claimed, adding that the deaths of actors Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor also had a tremendous impact on him.

Sushant Singh was “extremely happy after being offered ₹ 14 crore for a movie”, she said, alleging that the actor was disturbed over a rift with his family, especially his father.

Rhea Chakraborty also argued that the charges against her are too severe compared to the quantity of the drugs involved. She accused the drugs probe agency of spinning a false narrative that she was involved in illegal drugs trafficking and “harboured offenders”.

The CBI is investigating the circumstances of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and the Enforcement Directorate is looking into financial allegations raised by the actor’s father.

The Narcotics Control Bureau stepped into the Sushant Singh Rajput investigations when WhatsApp chats retrieved from Rhea Chakraborty’s phone revealed alleged conversations involving the procuring of drugs.

Several top actors have been questioned by the anti-drugs bureau in a widening probe into drugs and the film industry.

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