BMC attaches Munde, Ajit Pawar's flats for non-payment of tax

By Vishwas Waghmode The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has attached all flats in Shubhada and Sukhada buildings in central Mumbai’s upscale Worli locality, both VIP housing societies, over non-payment of property tax bills from the year 2006. The civic body served notices of attachment of property to the buildings’ housing societies on Thursday. Only last year, a handful of flats in these buildings had been served notices for illegal extensions and alterations to their properties. [caption id=“attachment_137854” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image.[/caption] According to data provided by the Assessor and Collector department of the BMC, the total outstanding property tax dues from Shubhada society is Rs 11.94 crore while Sukhada society is yet to pay up Rs 4.42 crore, sums incurred from April 2006 to March 2014. Top political leaders from Maharashtra own homes in these two buildings, including deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Punjab governor Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, Maharashtra state Congress president Manikrao Thakare, Maharashtra ministers Patangrao Kadam, Anil Deshmukh and several others. The civic body initiated the process of attachment in January 2014 following the societies’ failure to pay property tax bills. The total outstanding amount of property tax of both the societies is around Rs 16.36 crore. “Since both societies have failed to pay the outstanding bills in time, we initiated the legal process and attached these two societies,” said a senior civic official from the assessor and collector department that issues property tax bills. The official added that following several notices, Shubhada society’s management has paid Rs 2.5 crore in June 2013. “Even then, its outstanding amount is Rs 11.94 crore now,” said a senior civic official. Now, both societies have been given 21 days’ time to pay the outstanding bills. The attachment notice sent to the societies says the properties  would be sold unless the outstanding dues, “with all costs of recovery”, are paid to the municipal corporation’s office within 21 days from the date of issue of the notice. The official added that the societies would be allowed to pay 50 per cent of the outstanding bill to prevent any further action in the matter. “If they still fail to pay at least 50 per cent amount of the total outstanding bill within 21 days, then we will have to initiate the process to auction these properties,” explained the official. Ranjit Deshmukh, Congress leader and chairman of Shubhada society said he was not aware of the attachment tnotice. “I am not in Mumbai and will check with the society office.” In April 2013, the civic body had issued notices to Pawar, Munde, Shivraj Patil, Thakre, Kadam and Anil Deshmukh, among others, under the Maharashtra Region and Town Planning (MRTP) Act for allegedly carrying out unauthorized constructions in their flats. The information regarding the MRTP violations emerged following complaints from RTI activist Amit Maru. The leaders had reportedly built illegal extensions, converted shops allotted to them into offices and even one gymnasium and had carried out unauthorised alterations inside the properties. However, the civic body continues to drag its feet in taking action against these politicians. A dispute erupted between two departments of the BMC  - building proposals department and the local administrative ward office - over jurisdiction in taking further action in the matter. Subsequently, an opinion was sought from the civic body’s legal department in November 2013, which stated that the ward-level office should initiate action against the offenders. Following that, fresh inspections of the properties were ordered. “The fresh inspections are being carried out to ascertain the unauthorized alterations and change of user. After completion, we will decide on further course of action,” said a senior civic official.