Demolition of Nirav Modi's illegal mansion starts
Meanwhile, the ED handed over the bungalow to the district collector and thus its demolition commenced on Friday.
Mumbai: The Raigad collectorate on Friday afternoon began demolishing Nirav Modi’s sprawling seaside mansion in Kihim in Alibaug. Raigad district collector Vijay Suryawanshi issued the demolition orders after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) handed over the property situated in neighbouring Raigad district.
Last year, the state government had written to Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had sealed the fugitive diamantaire’s bungalow, seeking permission to demolish the illegally built property on Kihim beach.
Nirav Modi, who is on the run after being named in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, owns one of the 202 bungalows that have built illegal in the area. Mr Suryawanshi said that the bungalow was illegally built and flouted all environmental norms. “We have begun proceedings to demolish all the 202 illegal bungalows in Alibaug and Murud tehsil,” he said.
Demolition process began after Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Seva Sangha member Shambhuraje Yuva-kranti filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in 2009 on the issue.
The court, last year, had criticised the Raigad collector and his subordinate officers for not demolishing the illegal bungalows along the coast, despite court orders. Thereafter, Mr Suryawanshi informed the Bombay high court that the collector office didn’t have sufficient money to conduct demolition of illegal bungalows.
Mr Suryawanshi had also requested the court to direct the state to provide money to buy JCB machines and other equipments. In December 2018, after obtaining requisite machinery, Mr Suryawanshi had ordered demolition of 58 unauthorised structures, including one of Nirav Modi, built along the beach at Alibaug.
On January 14, the ED had moved the high court seeking stay on the demolition order issued by the district collector. The ED said that the central tribunal had ordered to attach properties of Nirav Modi so it can’t be demolished. The court then expressed displeasure on the ED’s approach and posted the hearing after four week.
Meanwhile, the ED handed over the bungalow to the district collector and thus its demolition commenced on Friday.