Kirit Somaiya files complaint against Sena (UBT) MLA for ‘committing’ ₹500 crore fraud

The police haven’t yet registered an FIR based on the complaint. “We have accepted the complaint and further enquired into the matter. After a preliminary inquiry a report will be sent to the zonal DCP for further action,” said a police officer from the Azad Maidan police station

Mumbai: On Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya submitted a written complaint to the Azad Maidan police station, alleging that Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Ravindra Waikar has committed a ₹500 crore fraud. Somaiya alleged that Waikar fraudulently obtained approval for the construction of a 5-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden, by using his political clout, and caused a huge loss to MCGM.

Mumbai, India - Nov. 11, 2020:Kirit Somaiya press conference at BJP office on land purchased by Late Anvay Naik and Rashmi Thackeray at Murud,Raigad in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, November 11, 2020.(HT PHOTO)

The police haven’t yet registered an FIR based on the complaint. “We have accepted the complaint and further enquired into the matter. After a preliminary inquiry a report will be sent to the zonal DCP for further action,” said a police officer from the Azad Maidan police station.

Somaiya in his complaint alleged that on July 26, 2021, BMC approved a 5-star hotel on a plot at Jogeshwari owned by Waikar and some others. Somaiya said the plot is reserved for a garden/park and is presently being used for construction by Waikar and his other partners.

On a plot measuring around 28,000 square feet, construction of about 2 lakh square feet has been allowed with the floor space index (FSI) of over 5 for the hotel for luxury weddings has been illegally approved by the BMC, Somaiya said in his complaint. “Illegal benefit of ₹500 crore made from this and an annual turnover of ₹500 crore expected after its construction,” the BJP leader claimed.

The extra FSI, according to him, is approved under a new scheme of DCPR 17 (1) under which the owner of the plot reserved for recreational ground can handover 70% of the plot to the civic body and use the FSI or TDR of the entire plot on the remaining 30% plot.

In this case, the owners have been given back the plot which they had already given up in 2004 itself, Somaiya said. He alleged that in 2004, for getting approval for a sports and recreational centre the plot owners entered into an agreement with BMC on February 9, 2004, and under the agreement, 67% of the plot was supposed to be kept for unrestricted public use and the owners were not to claim any compensation or TDR at any time for the entire area of the plot.

“The plot was never kept for unrestricted use or handed over and used for private gains. Despite this, approval was granted for a 5-star hotel using political influence. In fact, in the approval report made by the building proposal department this condition was not even mentioned,” Somaiya stated in his police complaint.

Instead of using the sports and recreation centre for designated purposes, it was used as Supremo Banquets since 2004 and the public garden was also used for conducting weddings (known as “Lawn” venue) and hundreds of crores of rupees were illegally earned over the last two decades, the former MP alleged.

The BJP leader has requested the police to register an FIR against the owners of the plot Ravindra Waikar and others and the civic officers involved in the illegal approvals under Sections 166, 166A, 167, 409, 420, 120-B, 34 and other applicable sections of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.