Being targeted for acting against illegal construction: Civic official

On Sunday, Bolinj police booked an unidentified person for allegedly morphing and uploading obscene photos of the additional commissioner and his wife on social media

MUMBAI: An additional commissioner of Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), who found himself at the centre of a controversy after unidentified miscreants uploaded morphed photos of him and his wife on social media, has claimed that he is being targeted for acting against illegal constructions within his jurisdiction.

Being targeted for acting against illegal construction: Civic official

“I am being targeted as I have started a demolition drive and am taking stringent action against unauthorised constructions in Vasai-Virar. I have approached the police as they defamed my wife as well now,” the additional commissioner, who had ordered the demolition of 41 illegal buildings in Nalasopara following a supreme court order, told Hindustan Times on Monday. His identity is being withheld as miscreants have uploaded morphed, obscene photos of his wife, also a civic official.

On Sunday, Bolinj police booked an unidentified person for allegedly morphing and uploading obscene photos of the additional commissioner and his wife on social media. On November 18, the additional commissioner came across a social media post by one Kavya Mehta containing morphed photos of him and his wife, he told the police in his complaint. The photos were accompanied by a message, saying, ‘Sabhi avaidh nirman surakshit hain, agar aisa hi chala toh ab main kuch apne hisab se accha karunga’ (All unauthorised and illegal constructions are safe. If this goes on, I will take matters in my own hands).

The same photos and message were shared in four Latur-based social media groups as Latur is the civic official’s native place. He also received a text message from an unknown mobile number, saying the secret of his wife’s successful career would be revealed by an article soon and everyone would know the secret.

Based on the official’s complaint, police have booked an unidentified person under sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 353(2) (public mischief) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

“We suspect that the accused tried to threaten the VVCMC additional commissioner and defame him in his native village for delaying action on unauthorised buildings in Vasai-Virar, including the 41 buildings in Nalasopara,” said a police officer.

As reported by HT earlier, the supreme court had ordered demolition of the 41 illegal buildings in Nalasopara in October while rejecting the special leave petition filed by affected families.

Seven of the 41 buildings were demolished last week after delays, also owing to the imposition of the model code of conduct prior to the assembly polls. Eviction notices have been served on all 2,500 families residing in the 41 buildings.