Court says allegations of graft, illegal construction against Sena MLA serious, orders FIR

Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to register an FIR against Shiv Sena MLA Mangesh Kudalkar over allegations of corruption and unauthorized construction on public land.

Satyanarayan R Navander, judge of special court for MPs/MLAs cases, held that the allegations against Kudalkar, the MLA from Kurla in Mumbai, were serious in nature.

"Prima facie, it appears that on a plot reserved by MHADA (state housing agency) for amenity service and garden, a hall is constructed with some commercial centres unauthorizedly," the court noted.

The judge further noted that since these structures are on public property, "there appears some substance in the allegations" regarding unauthorised construction.

A Kurla resident, in his complaint before the court, has alleged Kudalkar, whose party is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, misused public funds allocated for development of his constituency.

Instead of carrying out sanctioned works, he constructed the hall and commercial centres for earning income, the resident alleged.

The complainant further submitted that these structures "were given on rent unauthorizedly".

The court, after perusal of the complaint and a letter issued by MHADA, acknowledged that the allegations against the legislator were serious in nature.

Prima facie, the construction carried out is unauthorised one, the court said.

It then instructed the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACB, to file an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and submit a final report. PTI AVI RSY