Kangana Ranaut moves Bombay High Court, seeks Rs 2 crore as damage from BMC over 'illegal' demolition of her office

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday (September 15) amended her petition before Bombay High Court to seek compensation of Rs 2 crore from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for illegal demolition at her bungalow. 

In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government.

Kangana is locked in a public spat with the Shiv Sena, which heads the ruling coalition in the state, after her statement comparing Mumbai to 'Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir' irked the ruling party in the state. She had also stated in a video message that she feared Mumbai Police more than the "movie mafia" after tne death of Sushant Singh Rajput.

Reacting strongly to her comment, Shiv Sena leader Sanajy Raut had purportedly said, "We kindly request her not to come to Mumbai. This is nothing but an insult to Mumbai Police."

Following her remark that evoked controversy, Kangana's Bandra office here faced action and its portions were demolished for illegal alterations by Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on September 9, the day she arrived in Mumbai from her hometown Manali. 

On September 9, a BMC team reached the bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra with bulldozer and excavators and demolished alterations made sans the civic body's approval. The Bombay High Court, however, stayed the demolition process initiated by the BMC and sought to know why the city civic body entered the property when the owner was not present.

On September 10, Kangana took on the Maharashtra government by castigating Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for misusing power and declaring that her voice won't be suppressed. The Queen actor, who has been given Y-plus category security, posted a series of tweets comparing the BMC to goons, terming the state government a 'milavat' sarkar and recalling Marathi culture and pride.