E-Paper
Uttarakhand: BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj gets notice over illegal construction
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj maintained he did not own any property and was just a trustee of a trust that had undertaken construction
The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) has issued notices to ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj and four others for alleged illegal construction of five buildings at sites sealed on the orders of the Uttarakhand high court in an area designated for the rehabilitation of people displaced due to the Tehri dam.
The four have been asked to reply within 15 days. Officials said in case of unsatisfactory replies, the constructions would be demolished.
A First Information Report was earlier this month filed in Rishikesh against Maharaj and others under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 441, 442, and 448 related to criminal trespassing on MDDA’s complaint.
The five buildings were among the 57 illegal structures sealed after an organisation of the displaced people approached the high court. An MDDA official, who did not wish to be named, said all the constructions are new and carried out in the last few years.
Maharaj this week maintained he did not own any property in the area and was just a trustee of a trust that had undertaken a construction. “All property owners carrying out the constructions in the area received notices from MDDA. We too received a letter a few months ago... .to which we replied....and agreed to comply with their procedures.”
The Opposition Congress attacked the BJP over the illegal constructions and said they could not have been carried out without the government’s patronage.
BJP leader Manveer Singh Chauhan said notices have been issued over illegal constructions because they do not discriminate. “Everybody is equal to the BJP government no matter how influential a person is.”
