On June 17, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) that challenged the Bombay High Court's interim order directing the Thane Municipal Corporation to demolish 17 illegally constructed buildings in Thane, Maharashtra. These constructions were allegedly carried out by builders connected with the underworld.
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A two-judge bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan made strong observations while hearing the matter. The Court noted that these builders had not followed any legal procedure and had illegally constructed the buildings on land belonging to a third party. The Supreme Court appreciated the bold steps taken by the Bombay High Court in its June 12 interim order, which had empowered the civic body to demolish the structures without waiting for further directions.
“Kudos to the High Court for taking the right decision. See, you encroached on someone else’s land and built without any sanction. There is no rule of law,” Justice Manmohan remarked.
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The petitioner, who claimed to have purchased a flat in one of these buildings, argued that over 400 families were now homeless. However, the Court was not convinced, particularly after noting the illegal nature of the construction and the serious allegations regarding underworld links.
“It’s shocking that some people have the guts to come to this Court!” Justice Manmohan said, criticizing the petitioner for defending such unlawful development.
According to the Bombay High Court’s order, the petitioner—a senior citizen woman—had written to top state officials on January 24, 2025, highlighting that the buildings were constructed by individuals with underworld connections. The High Court noted that such massive construction could not have been possible without the involvement or negligence of government and municipal officials.
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“It is shocking that such large-scale illegal construction was carried out. The situation is so serious that it questions whether any rule of law exists at all in Thane,” the High Court stated in its order.
The Supreme Court highlighted that innocent buyers were defrauded and suggested that legal recourse against the builders was the proper path forward.
“Please go to the High Court and take action against the unscrupulous builders. Unless this stops, your city will get fully encroached,” Justice Manmohan warned.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan also questioned how the petitioner could buy property without proper documents and approvals. Ultimately, the Court allowed the petitioner to withdraw the SLP, granting liberty to approach the High Court for relief against the builder.
The Bombay High Court’s interim demolition order was issued in response to a writ petition filed by a woman who claimed ownership of the land and alleged that a "land mafia" had encroached upon it and built five-storey illegal buildings.
Case Details: DANISH ZAHEER SIDDIQUI Vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA|D No. 33024/2025
The SLP has been filed through AoR Vidhi Pankaj Thakur
