Bombay HC Rejects Sonu Sood's Appeal Against Illegal Construction Notice Issued By BMC, Says, "You Are Too Late"

The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal and an interim application filed by Bollywood actor Sonu Sood against a BMC notice over alleged illegal construction carried out by him at his residential building in Juhu area of Mumbai.

Justice Prithviraj Chavan, while dismissing the actor's appeal and application, said, "Law helps only those who are diligent."

Sood's lawyer Amogh Singh sought a time of 10 weeks to comply with the notice issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in October last year, and requested the HC to direct the civic body to not initiate demolition action.

The court, however, refused and said the actor had ample opportunity in the past and if required, he could approach the civic body.

"The ball is now in the office of the BMC...you (Sood) may approach them," Justice Chavan said.

"You (Sood) are too late. You had ample opportunity," the judge added.

Sood approached the high court earlier this month challenging an order of a city civil court at Dindoshi that had dismissed his suit against the BMC's notice issued over the alleged illegal construction carried out by him.

The actor in the interim application had sought an order from the high court restraining the BMC from taking any coercive action against his residential property in Juhu area.

As per the BMC, Sood had carried out structural changes in the six-storey residential building 'Shakti Sagar', and converted it into a hotel without taking requisite permissions.

The actor in his plea claimed he had not carried out any illegal or unauthorised construction in the building.

"The petitioner (Sood) has not made any changes in the building that warrants permission from the BMC. Only those changes that are allowed under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act have been done," Sood's advocate Amogh Singh had argued.

After receiving the notice from the BMC, the actor had approached the civil court, but failed to get relief following which he filed an appeal in the high court.

The BMC earlier this month also filed a complaint at the Juhu police station, seeking an FIR to be lodged against Sood for allegedly converting the residential building into a hotel without permission.

The complaint letter was sent to the police after the BMC inspected the building and found that Sood had allegedly not complied with the requisitions and was continuing unauthorised construction even after the notice was served to him in October last year.

The police are yet to register FIR in the case.

Sood, who is known for his roles in films like "Dabangg", "Jodha Akbar" and "Simmba", came into spotlight last year for his philanthropy work in helping migrants reach their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown.