The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday demolished the movie studio allegedly belonging to former minister and Congress leader Aslam Shaikh in the Madh area of Mumbai.
Aslam Shaikh came under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Environment Ministry in July 2022 for illegally operating film studios on Madh Island.
The action was long pending but came a day after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave an order yesterday.
According to the order, the NGT held that further extension after October 12, 2022, is not permissible since the MCGM internal circular (granting extensions without MCZMA approval etc.) is stayed by MCGM itself.
In para 33 of the order, the NGT has noted that the structure should have been removed and the site restored to its original condition after initial six months before renewing permissions.
In August 2022, the Ministry of Environment of Maharashtra issued a notice regarding the alleged studio scam in Madh and ordered Mumbai Collector and Municipal Corporation to take strict action in this matter.
As per reports, Aslam Shaikh had flouted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules and gave permission for the unauthorised construction of more than two dozen film studios on Madh Island. The Enforcement Directorate took up the matter after complaints were received by Environment and Forest Ministries.
BJP Claims Aaditya Thackeray ‘Involved’ in Alleged Scam
BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya attacked the former MVA government for giving illegal permits for the construction of the studios and said, “Aaditya Thackeray himself visited here and with his blessings, this studio was built.”
“BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal knew of this illegal scam but didn’t take action. We approached the court which questioned BMC on how illegal constructions were allowed. Requested the Chief Minister and Deputy CM to order a probe into this,” Somaiya added.
Somaiya had alleged that a part of the earnings from the studio went to local MLA Aslam Shaikh and a cut to Bandra (Matoshree), apparently referring to Uddhav Thackeray.
Earlier, Somaiya had claimed former guardian ministers of Mumbai Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena and Aslam Sheikh of the Congress were involved in a “Rs 1,000 crore studio scam”.
He had alleged that 49 studios constructed in Madh were built illegally and constitute a Rs 1,000 crore business that generates Rs 2 crore monthly rent. Many big-budget moves, including ‘Ram Setu’ and ‘Adipurush’, have been shot in these studios.
In a letter to the BMC chief on July 21, 2022, Somaiya had claimed that some companies had constructed huge studios in the no-development zone at Madh by obtaining illegal permits from the collector’s office, District Coastal Zone Management Committee, Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) and fire brigade.
In response, BMC officials had accepted that there were four illegal studios, one of which had already been demolished by its owner. Today’s action was taken on one of the remaining three.
August 2022 MCZMA’s Response to Kirit Somaiya on Madh Island Studios
The area where the alleged studio has come up falls in the Assembly constituency of Aslam Sheikh, who has earlier denied these allegations.
(With inputs from Yesha Kotak)
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