Mumbai civic body accuses Sonu Sood of illegally turning home into hotel

After getting accolades for helping migrant workers during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have locked horns over his premises in Juhu in the city. A police complaint has been lodged against Sonu Sood with the BMC accusing him of 'illegally' converting his six-storied home in Shakti Sagar Building in Juhu without getting proper permission.

The BMC filed its complaint, after an issue was raised by a social activist, with the Juhu Police Station invoking the Maharashtra Region & Town Planning Act. A police probe is underway. On his part, Sood has claimed that he has done nothing illegal, secured all the necessary permissions and was only awaiting a nod from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).

Back in June 2018, Sood had submitted an application to the BMC's K-West Ward Building Proposal Department, proposing to convert his residential premises into a lodging-cum-boarding facility. The BMC returned the proposal in September 2018 directing him to comply with all the norms and submit an amended proposal, which has reportedly not been done so far.

The BMC states that a notice was issued to Sonu Sood on October 27, 2020 and the deadline was on November 26, 2020, but even after a month's time, there was no reply to the notice. 

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the BMC move alleging it was an act of 'vendetta' on the lines of the action taken against actor Kangana Ranaut. BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam questioned how when the same premises were turned into a quarantine facility last year by the BMC and there was nothing wrong, it now suddenly found the premises to be illegal, and asked the civic body to 'beware' of targeting a famous personality. Sonu Sood had offered the same premises as a quarantine facility for medical professionals during the coronavirus lockdown last year.

With IANS inputs