Legal Nights for Kapil: Forest Dept Alleges “Harm” to Mangroves

Forest officials found that more than 50 occupants in the area had harmed the mangroves while constructing.
PTI
Environment
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Comedian Kapil Sharma had accused an unknown BMC official of seeking bribe. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube/Comedy Nights With Kapil)
Comedian Kapil Sharma had accused an unknown BMC official of seeking bribe. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube/<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfkoMQeJOoEt3ZhY3PI6Uw">Comedy Nights With Kapil</a>)
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Already facing heat over his tweet, in which he had accused an unknown BMC official of seeking a bribe to facilitate construction, comedian Kapil Sharma has now come under the scanner of the Forest Department over allegedly harming mangroves in the construction of his office in Versova, Mumbai.

The Kapil episode has opened a can of worms, with the Forest Department swinging into action to check violations, if any, by the comedian as well as by the flat owners and developers in the vicinity of his Versova office.

Adding to his woes, police may question Sharma soon in connection with unauthorised alterations in his other flat in a building in suburban Goregaon, for which he was booked on Tuesday under section 53(7) of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP) 1966.

Forest officials visited Kapil’s office on Monday to survey the premises and surrounding areas, where they found that more than 50 occupants had “harmed the mangroves in their constructions and alterations”.

Following instructions from Chief Conservator of Forest, our team visited the spot from where we received complaints. We found that there have been violations not only by Sharma, but 50-60 other flat owners also.&nbsp;
Makarand Ghodke, Assistant Forest Conservator

He added:

We have taken the GPS reading and will come out with final report in a day or two which will be submitted to the collector to take a final call.
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The comedian’s tweet last week, alleging that he was asked to cough up Rs 5 lakh as bribe for “making” his office in a suburb by a civic official, had kicked up a huge storm. However, Sharma was forced on the backfoot as it came to light that he had allegedly made unauthorised alterations in his Andheri bungalow as well, despite a BMC notice to stop work.

Police are likely to serve notice to Kapil in a day or two after conducting “preliminary investigations” in connection with alleged alteration in his flat at DLH Enclave in Goregaon.

Also Read: BMC Files FIRs Against Kapil Sharma for Illegal Construction

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