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2019 Supreme(Bom) 2535

IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
S.J. KATHAWALLA, N.J. JAMADAR, JJ.
Surendra Vishnu Masurkar - Appellant
Versus
The Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Ors. - Respondents
Writ Petition No. 231 of 2016
Decided On : 15-11-2019

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : Deven Jogdeo.
For the Respondents: Jaymala Ostwal, Rupali Adhate and Harshil Panchal i/by D.S. Jain.

Headnote:

Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 - Section 354 - Town Planning Act, 1966 - Section 45 - Rent Control Act, 1999 - under Section 16(1) (i) - MRTP Act, 1966 - Section 45 - Indulged In Unfair And Illegal Conduct - Notice Issued - Alleged Expenses And Penalty Levied - Execute Permanent Alternate Accommodation Agreements - Grievance of Petitioner in above Writ Petition is that Respondent No-2 - (Landlord/Developer) has with help of Officers of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) indulged in unfair and illegal conduct which has caused harm injury and prejudice to Petitioner/Tenant - It is alleged that though building named was demolished by MCGM pursuant to a Notice issued under Section 354 of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888 ( Act) MCGM has contrary to conditions set out in its court and also contrary to Order of this Court passed in Writ Petition and Clause 1-15 of Guidelines for declaring private and Municipal buildings as C-1 category (Dangerous Unsafe) framed by MCGM pursuant to said Order issued a Commencement Certificate under Section 45 of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act 1966 to Landlord/Developer in absence of an agreement providing a permanent alternate accommodation to Petitioner – Held, Pursuant thereto Executive Engineer B-P- (W-S-) P/N Ward to whom said Letter was forwarded by Advocate for Landlord/Developer prepared a Note stating that court issued in had lapsed as Commencement Certificate was not granted within a period of four years and Architect of Landlord/Developer had requested for revalidation of proposal; Architect of Landlord/Developer was asked to submit amended plans for proposed building as per modified Development Control and Promotion Regulations This Court to repay all expenses and penalty levied upon him by MCGM for demolition of Subject Building under Section 354 of Act- In short since MCGM issued a Commencement Certificate to Landlord/Developer without protecting rights/interest of Petitioner and behind his back Interestingly Court are now informed that within two days from of said Affidavit an Occupation Certificate was granted by MCGM to Landlord/Developer with regard to newly constructed building - Writ Petition disposed of

JUDGMENT :

S.J. Kathawalla, J.

1. The grievance of the Petitioner in the above Writ Petition is that the Respondent No. 2 - Arvindkumar H. Jain ('Landlord/Developer') has with the help of the Officers of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai ('MCGM') indulged in unfair and illegal conduct which has caused harm, injury and prejudice to the Petitioner/Tenant. It is alleged that though the building named 'Gayatri Bhuvan' at Malad (West), Mumbai was demolished by the MCGM pursuant to a Notice issued under Section 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 ('the Act'), the MCGM has contrary to the conditions set out in its I.O.D., and also contrary to the Order of this Court dated 23rd June, 2014 passed in Writ Petition (L) No. 1135 of 2014, and Clause 1.15 of the "Guidelines for declaring private and Municipal buildings as C-1 category (Dangerous, Unsafe)" framed by MCGM pursuant to the said Order, issued a Commencement Certificate under Section 45 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 to the Landlord/Developer in the absence of an agreement providing a permanent alternate accommodation to the Petitioner. It is submitted that such conduct on the part of the MCGM has emboldened the Landlord/Developer to the extent that he has now not only brazenly refused to provide alternate accommodation to the Petitioner on the terms offered to all the other tenants of the demolished building but has also in his Affidavit dared to deprive the Petitioner of his permanent alternate accommodation, which he is entitled to in law, unless the Petitioner undertakes to pay him the alleged expenses and penalty levied upon him by the MCGM for demolishing the building under Section 354 of the Act.

2. The MCGM has also filed an Affidavit admitting that the Landlord/Developer has before obtaining an Occupation Certificate from the MCGM qua the new construction, illegally and unauthorizedly put certain tenants in occupation of the same, for which the MCGM is in the process of taking legal action against the Landlord/Developer.

3. The Petitioner has inter alia prayed for a direction to the MCGM to issue a 'Stop Work' Notice to the Landlord/Developer and to appoint a Court Receiver in respect of the project. However, since the construction is already completed and we are now informed that an Occupation Certificate has been issued by the MCGM on 24th October, 2018, we are not inclined to pass any order which will inconvenience the other tenants/flat purchasers. However, as we would like to ensure that justice is meted out to the Petitioner, we will be moulding the reliefs as set out hereinafter.

4. The brief facts in the matter are set out hereunder:

    4.1 The Petitioner was the Tenant of Room No. 7, situated on the first floor of a building known as 'Gayatri Bhuvan', at Liberty Garden Road No. 2, Malad (W), Mumbai - 400 064. (Room No. 7 of the Petitioner and the Gayatri Bhuvan Building shall be hereinafter referred to as 'the said Premises' and 'the Subject Building' respectively.)

4.2 The Subject Building was originally owned by one Smt. Kamlaben Mistry, who in the year 2006 sold and conveyed the same in favour of the Landlord/Developer.

4.3 According to the Petitioner, the Landlord/Developer had purchased the Subject Building with an intention to develop/redevelop the same through M/s. Indra Realtors, which the Petitioner later discovered is an unregistered partnership firm, and the Partners of the said firm are the Landlord/Developer along with Mr. Santosh Trivedi and Mr. Harshad Rathod.

4.4 According to the Petitioner, sometime in the month of January/February 2006, the Landlord/Developer along with Mr. Santosh Trivedi and Mr. Harshad Rathod approached him and informed him that they were the new Landlords of the Subject Building and that they intend to redevelop the Subject Building. They also offered to the Petitioner a new flat on ownership basis on the 5th floor in the new building to be constructed.

4.5 The Petitioner was happy with t

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