You may face fate of Supertech twin towers, Bombay HC warns developer
Mumbai, Aug 30: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday remarked that a developer insisting to continue construction of a building adjacent to a plot reserved for a playground despite a stay from the Supreme Court and the HC would face a fate similar to Supertech's illegal twin towers in Noida that were demolished.
The remark was made by a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) that claimed the real estate developer was encroaching on the land reserved for a playground in Mumbai's suburb of Khar.
The court had last week deputed an architect to visit the site where the developer has proceeded with construction flouting a 1995 Supreme Court order and to submit a report stating up to what extent construction has been carried out.
On Tuesday, the bench was informed the report has been submitted by the architect following which the court adjourned the matter for further hearing on September 20.
However, the advocate appearing for the developer urged the court to vacate the stay on construction till demarcation of the land was completed.
Refusing to do so, Chief Justice Datta said, "Let's wait. You may face fate like Supertech."
Supertech's twin towers located in Noida near New Delhi were demolished using explosives on August 28 following directives from the Supreme Court. It was held that the twin towers - Apex (32 storeys) and Ceyane (29 storeys) were illegally built.
The real estate company paid for the demolition which cost about Rs 20 crore.
Last week, the HC had come down heavily on the Mumbai developer for proceeding with the construction despite an order from the Supreme Court in 1995 directing for no construction to be carried out on the 6,000 square metres plot that was reserved for a playground under the 1992 development plan.
The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), a Maharashtra government agency that had permitted Integrated Realty Project to develop the adjoining plot, said boundaries of the plot have changed and the size of the proposed playground has got reduced to 5,255 square metres from the original 6,000 square metres.
The court had last week held that in view of the rival claims, it was necessary for them to ascertain as to what is the exact extent of vacant land available for the playground.
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Slovakia's Prime Minister wounded in shooting
Bratislava (Slovakia), May 15: Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday afternoon and taken to hospital.
Reports on TA3, a Slovakian TV station, said that Fico, 59, was hit in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometers northeast of the capital, where the leader was meeting with supporters. A suspect has been detained, it said.
Police sealed off the scene, and Fico was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica.
The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks ahead of crucial European Parliament elections, in which populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc appear poised to make gains.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of Slovakia's Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency said.
Slovakia's major opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television.
“We absolutely and strongly condemn violence and today's shooting of Premier Robert Fico" said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time we call on all politicians to refrain from any expressions and steps which could contribute to further increasing the tension.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” attack on the premier.
“I'm shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia's Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Critics worried Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country's pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico's policies.
Condemnations of political violence quickly came from leaders across Europe, although no motive for the attack was immediately apparent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking,” adding “I wish the premier to get well soon. We cannot tolerate violence, there's no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia till 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”
