High-rise near INS Shikra: HC raps Navy over ‘lapse’, 'intelligence failure'
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Friday pulled up the Navy for its “failure in intelligence” while questioning how a high-rise came up unnoticed in the vicinity of INS Shikra, the maritime force’s premier air station in south Mumbai.
A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri said it was of the prima facie opinion that there has been an intelligence lapse on the part of the Navy as it failed to notice a skyscraper being constructed in the vicinity of its establishment.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Commanding Officer of INS Shikra seeking to halt the project, citing significant security risks to the sensitive military installation.
The bench also questioned the Navy’s selective opposition to only this particular building when there are several other residential high-rises in the vicinity, with some at a “stone throw distance” from INS Shikra.
The petitioner’s advocate R V Govilkar said the other buildings were constructed before 2011, when the Ministry of Defence issued a notification, making a No Objection Certificate mandatory for the construction of tall structures near defence establishments.
The court, however, noted that the present high-rise received its commencement certificate in March 2011, and construction began since then.
“You (Navy) are trying to hide grave lapse on your part… lapse in intelligence and security… there has been a failure of intelligence. The Navy has been sitting in its office and noticed this building only after almost 70 metres (19 storeys) had already been constructed till the year 2024,” HC said.
There has been a prima facie lapse of intelligence, the court said, adding, “We are surprised as to how the Navy has failed to see such a high-rise building being constructed all these years? How has the building gone unnoticed? This can only be attributed to the failure of intelligence on the part of the naval officials.”
The bench said it cannot permit its earlier order, temporarily halting construction activity at the building site, to continue as it was passed due to security concerns ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the city.
The court said since construction up to 53.07 metres (15 storeys) was permitted in the area, the developer of the building shall develop above the permissible height at their own risk.
It added that if the court finally concludes that an NOC (no objection certificate) was mandatory, then it would direct the demolition of the building above the permissible 53 metres.
The court also warned action against Mumbai civic body officials if it is found that the corporation has been complacent or has committed a blunder by granting the commencement certificate without an NOC from the Navy.
It posted the matter for final hearing on March 30.
After perusing photographs of the area near INS Shikra submitted by the developer, the HC noted that there are several other high-rises between the structure under construction and the establishment.
“In fact, from the under-construction building, the naval base is out of sight. This is our prima facie view. We are intrigued that there are other buildings very close to the establishment and a threat perception hovers around them too, but the Navy has not done anything about them,” the court said.
Those buildings are literally a stone’s throw from INS Shikra, Justice Ghuge said.
Senior counsel Janak Dwarkadas, who represented the developer, argued that since the building received its commencement certificate in March 2011, months before the notification issued by the Ministry of Defence, it did not require the mandatory NOC from the defence.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
