FIR against 30 Santosha residents

Patna: An FIR has been lodged against 30 residents, including 12 women, of Santosha Complex near

Dak Bangalow

roundabout in the city for preventing the

Patna Municipal Corporation

(PMC) officials from demolishing the unauthorized three storeys of the building on Friday. The Supreme Court had ordered the demolition on March 10.

The FIR was lodged on Saturday with the

Kotwali

police station under Section 353 of the IPC (assault or using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty), DSP (law and order) Shibli Nomani said. He said police would verify the video footage to figure out the unidentified persons who prevented the officials from doing their duty and chargesheet would be filed.

PMC had set July 10 deadline to carry out the demolition work because it had to file the compliance report in the apex court on July 11. PMC commissioner Abhishek Singh said, "We will send the detailed report, the video recording and photographs of Friday's action along with copies of the four letters which the PMC had sent to the residents as reminders to vacate their flats and cooperate with us in carrying out the court's order."

Singh said he would wait for the apex court's direction for further process. The PMC officials and a posse of policemen had to retreat from the scene on Friday after the residents, including women and kids, denied them entry into the Santosha premises for close to eight hours.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear on July 11 the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by the Santosha Complex residents on July 5. Santosha resident Subodh Kumar Goel said, "We are waiting for the court's guidance and request the state government to come up with such a policy which could regularize such buildings, instead of demolishing them. The amount deposited in the court could be used for some development work."

Talking about the illegal constructions in the state capital, the PMC commissioner said action would be taken against them on case-to-case basis and the PMC would follow the court's order. He also cautioned the buyers to be aware of the illegal constructions and not to invest in such properties.

It is to be noted that in a survey conducted by the PMC in April this year to curb illegal constructions in Patna, 23 buildings in localities like Fraser Road, Exhibition Road and SP Verma Road, were found violating the building bylaws right under the nose of the PMC office.