After the Bombay High Court’s order, a total of 6,500 residents will be expelled from their homes as their interim applications have been dismissed. The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) will demolish all illegal constructions developed by the 65 builders booked in the RERA certificate scam. Two FIRs have been filed against these 65 developers, landowners, and others at Dombivli and Manpada police stations on October 3, 2022, and September 27, 2022, respectively.
According to KDMC officials, the 65 builders obtained MahaRERA certificates for their projects by submitting forged documents. Thane’s Special Investigating Team (SIT) is probing the KDMC RERA certificate scam and has frozen the bank accounts of these developers. The Bombay High Court had granted a three-month period for the residents, which expired on February 3, and now KDMC will begin the demolition process.
Out of the 65 illegal buildings, residents of Sai Galaxy had filed a petition before the High Court, which was dismissed in February. KDMC subsequently issued eviction notices to 45 buildings, instructing residents to vacate their flats within seven days, after which the demolition will begin.
Activist and architect Sandeep Patil stated that some residents from four buildings approached the High Court on December 19, 2024, seeking an interim order after a judgment was passed on November 19, 2024. They claimed that the builder had deceived them. The High Court granted a stay until February 3, 2025, allowing them time to regularize their structures. However, KDMC rejected their application for regularization due to Floor Space Index (FSI) violations, improper margins, and other issues. On February 13, the special judge of the High Court dismissed Sai Galaxy’s interim application.
Yogesh Godse, Additional Municipal Commissioner of KDMC, stated, “The Bombay High Court has ordered the demolition of these buildings. Some residents approached the court seeking relief, but the court denied their request. Now, we will proceed with evacuations and demolitions. Since the buildings are illegal, KDMC does not have any rehabilitation scheme for the affected residents.” He further added that the KDMC town planning department had earlier filed a cheating and forgery case, which is currently under police investigation.
The RERA certificate scam was exposed by activist and architect Sandeep Patil, who filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court in 2021. Patil uncovered the scam after filing a complaint with KDMC, prompting an internal inquiry. KDMC found that the builders had obtained RERA certificates using forged and fabricated documents, despite lacking official building permissions. The builders then sold the flats based on these fraudulent approvals. Following this discovery, KDMC registered two FIRs, and the SIT took over the investigation, leading to 15 arrests. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the financial fraud committed by builders while obtaining MahaRERA certificates using fake documents. However, all accused have since been released on bail.
A resident of the Sai Galaxy building said, “I purchased a flat in 2019 while the building was still under construction. I moved in during 2021, and soon after, we received a notice regarding illegal construction.”
Another resident added, “Our society approached KDMC, but we never received a response. In 2024, we received a second notice, and later discovered that the High Court had issued a demolition order on November 19, 2024. We approached the court and secured a stay until February 3, but our application was eventually rejected. The High Court observed that the flat buyers had erred by purchasing homes at lower prices.”
Ravi Solanki, a resident of Sai Galaxy’s B Wing, said, “My father, who worked in defense, saved money to buy a flat here. I run an NGO to help people, but now, who will help me? After the HC order, who will come to our aid? The government? We are middle-lower class families earning ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 per month.”
Rohit Patil, another resident of Sai Galaxy, added, “I bought the flat after the builder assured me and provided documents proving it was a legal project. But now, KDMC will demolish our building following the High Court order. Thousands of residents live here, and all of us will be forced out.”
