Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi's illegal seaside bungalows in Raigad to be razed
Mumbai, Aug 21 : At least 160 illegal bungalows belonging to top celebs, including absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi on Raigad sea coasts, will be demolished for alleged violations of norms, Maharashtra Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam said on Tuesday.
He issued the directions after chairing a review meeting of the illegal constructions dotting various picturesque beaches in Raigad district.
"There are around 151 illegal bungalows on or near the beaches in the Murud stretch and another 121 in Alibaug, violating Coastal Regulation Zone rules, not adhering to sanctioned plans and other regulations," Kadam said.
Of these, 111 bungalows, 61 in Alibaug and 50 in Murud -- both prime beach destinations -- belong to locals or fisherfolk, which would not be disturbed for the present, he added.
Many of the other outsider illegal occupants have secured stay from various courts on their bungalows, but the state government plans to transfer all these cases before the National Green Tribunal.
After the police verification of documents, the government is hopeful that the NGT will expeditiously clear them within the next 2-3 months, and the defaulters also face a fine of Rs 100,000 or a five-year jail term.
Besides Modi and Choksi, some other prominent owners of these lavish bungalows include industrialists, leading businessmen, film and television personalities and others.
The Raigad collectorate has informed that Modi's bungalow is in Kihim and Choksi's in Awas village and will be razed for violating Coastal Regulatory Zone norms.
Since their bungalows are attached by the Enforcement Directorate after their names came up in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud in February, the collector has sought the ED's clearance for the demolition plans.
Recently, the Bombay High Court had pulled up the government over the delays in taking action against the illegal bungalows of Modi, Choksi and others.
A popular getaway destination, Raigad has been in the spotlight in recent years for a series of illegal constructions dotting its pristine beaches, coastal forests and lush green villages, just an hour's ride by catamaran from Gateway of India.
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Seven year old boy with special needs found dead in Bengaluru lake
Bengaluru: The body of a seven-year-old boy with special needs, who went missing from his residence in Gempark Layout, Sarjapur, was discovered in a nearby lake on Friday morning. The tragic incident unfolded after the child, identified as Elvin D’Souza, disappeared while playing outside his home on Thursday afternoon.
Elvin was riding his bicycle around 2:30 PM, under the watch of his mother. However, she briefly stepped inside to attend to a washing machine technician. Upon returning around 3:00 PM, she found her son missing. The family immediately began searching the area, and his father later filed a missing person report at the Sarjapur police station.
CCTV footage from the area showed Elvin near a water tank close to Pushpam Lush County Recreational Area at 2:44 PM, but there were no further sightings. In a bid to locate him, his photos were widely shared on social media, urging the public to assist in the search.
Tragically, his body was discovered in a nearby lake around 11:30 AM on Friday. The Sarjapura police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating whether foul play was involved.
