BMC Receives Encroachment Complaint Against BJP Leader Haji Arafat Shaikh in Kurla
A controversy has surfaced after a complaint was lodged with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against Mumbai BJP leader Haji Arafat Shaikh, alleging that he encroached upon and illegally occupied the terrace of a residential building in Kurla.
According to the complaint submitted to the assistant municipal commissioner of the BMC's L ward on August 18, the terrace of Rainbow Apartment, situated opposite SBI Bank near Kurla Court on LBS Road, was being used in violation of civic norms and building regulations. The complainant, Malang Mubarak Shaikh, a resident of Dehu Road in Pune, alleged that the terrace was designated for common use by residents but had been occupied without authorisation.
The complainant urged the civic body to conduct a site inspection, review the building’s sanctioned plans, and ascertain whether unauthorised construction or encroachment had taken place. He also sought action under the provisions of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
Shaikh, who heads the BJP’s transport cell and participates in the party’s minority outreach initiatives, strongly rejected the allegations. He stated that no illegal or permanent construction had been undertaken on the terrace. According to Shaikh, the structure consists only of an improvised canopy installed to prevent rainwater from leaking into the floor below.
Shaikh explained that the seven-storey building, which comprises 14 flats, is an old structure in poor condition, suffering from peeling plaster and leaking surfaces. He noted that a plastic sheet placed on a lower floor was intended to protect pedestrians and passersby from falling plaster rather than serve as an unauthorised extension.
Shaikh further claimed that the complaint was driven by personal enmity. Shaikh, whose hometown is also Dehu Road, alleged that he was being targeted by certain local meat and animal traders following his distribution of free goats to farmers who suffered crop losses due to natural disasters. He also claimed that his support for enforcing the cow slaughter ban and efforts to foster communal harmony had led to a smear campaign against him.
Shaikh stated that he had not received any formal notice or communication from the civic body regarding the matter.
A senior official from the BMC's L ward stated that a designated officer will examine the complaint. The official added that if any construction on the site is verified to be illegal, the civic administration will initiate appropriate action, including potential demolition, following due process of law.
