BJP corporator, supporters face contempt for blocking BMC team

MUMBAI: A BJP corporator from Andheri and his supporters are likely to face the music on a contempt of court plea BMC filed for obstructing and assaulting its licence inspector and the civic squad removing illegal hoardings.
"You are an elected representative. You should be educating your voters not to erect illegal hoardings. Not attack and injure municipal officers,'' said a bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Mahesh Sonak on Friday, as it began dictating an order on the BMC petition filed a fortnight ago by its licence department and licence inspector Uttam Sarwade. The court added that the incident "has to be taken seriously".

The petition said Murji Patel, BJP corporator from K-East ward, and seven supporters, all BJP workers, violated the high court's January 31, 2017, order directing civic corporations to remove illegal hoardings and banners.

On January 30 and 31 this year, BMC received online complaints of illegal hoardings put up on a municipal ground and on a footpath by Jivanjoti Foundation run by Patel and his wife. When Sarwade and his team began removing them, Patel's supporters abused and assaulted them. They were injured, and Sarwade filed a police complaint.

"Obstructing municipal officers when they are implementing the court's order will amount to criminal and civil contempt as it is obstructing the administration of justice," said senior advocate Anil Sakhare, representing the BMC. Agreeing, the judges deprecated Patel's conduct. "As a municipal councillor, we expect you to make a statement that it will not happen again," said Justice Oka.

Patel's advocate urged against civil and criminal contempt notices, saying a chargesheet is already filed and it will be a case of "double jeopardy". The dictation will continue on Monday.