Mumbai: FIR Against Aaditya Thackeray, Other Shiv Sena (UBT) Leaders for Illegally Inaugurating Delisle Bridge

Mumbai police on Saturday registered an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray over allegations that he inaugurated the Delisle Bridge in Lower Parel without permission.

Thackeray, on Thursday, accompanied by former mayors Kishori Pednekar and Snehal Ambekar, opened the second carriageway of the bridge despite ongoing work.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) filed a complaint at the NM Joshi police station alleging that Aaditya Thackeray had illegally inaugurated the bridge. An FIR based on BMC’s complaint was registered against all Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders present during the event.

Aaditya Thackeray, in response to the FIR lodged against him, said the bridge was “waiting to be inaugurated” and a case has been filed against him for ” fighting for Mumbaikars”.

“An FIR has been registered sharing me and my colleagues for fighting for Mumbaikars. All the work had been completed. It was waiting to be inaugurated. My grandfather (late Bala Saheb Thackeray) would have been proud had he known that I have cases against me now for fighting for Mumbaikars,” he said.

“Why not register FIRs against guardian ministers, against BMC commissioner? Why no inquiry against him? No case against the contractor or builder. Those who say Satyameva Jayate, have cases slapped against them. But those who say, sattameva jayate, roam around scot-free,” he added.

Earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA had said that they had waited for BMC to “open the full bridge to people for use since it has been almost 10 days that the other side has been ready and waiting for a VIP to inaugurate it”.

“While we waited on the @mybmc to open the full bridge to people for use, it has been almost 10 days that the other side has been ready and waiting for a VIP to inaugurate it. We inaugurated it last night and today, the BMC under the pressure of Khoke Sarkar has closed it down again, waiting for a govt inauguration, only to trouble the citizens of Mumbai. Why can’t it be thrown open for the people instead of waiting for the guardian minister’s ego and convenience? Open it!” Thackeray wrote in an X (formerly Twitter) post on Friday.

The BMC, in its complaint, alleged that around 15 to 20 people, including MLA Aaditya Thackeray and Legislative Council MLA Sunil Shinde, Sachin Ahir, former mayor Kishori Pednekar and former mayor Snehal Ambekar, illegally inaugurated the incomplete Lower Parel Bridge without the permission of the Municipal Commissioner.

The leaders removed barricades near ASIC Bhawan, encroached upon the bridge, and opened it for traffic.

The FIR stated that traffic movement has started on the bridge, but due to incomplete work, it is unsafe.