'Took all permissions necessary for construction of property': Union Minister Narayan Rane says Shiv Sena hounding him

After the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a notice to him for inspection of his bungalow here, Union minister Narayan Rane on Saturday said he had taken all the permissions that were necessary for the construction of the property, and asserted that there were no irregularities in it.

The BJP leader also alleged that he was being “hounded” by the Shiv Sena and ‘Matoshree’, a reference to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose private residence in suburban Bandra bears that name.

The BMC on Thursday issued a notice to the bungalow owned by Rane in the upscale Juhu area for conducting inspection and taking measurements of the premises. The ‘Adish’ bungalow falls under the K-west civic ward located in western suburbs of Mumbai.

The notice said a civic team will visit “to inspect the said premises and to take measurements and photographs of the same” and also asked the “owner” (not named in the notice) to be present for the same along with the last approved plan or authentic documents of the structure.

The notice came amid an escalating war of words between the leaders of ruling Shiv Sena and opposition BJP in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Rane said he had taken all the necessary permission before building his bungalow nearly 12 years back.

“The building (his residence) was built by a reputed architect and all norms were followed during its construction. Not an inch more has been constructed since the building was completed as no need for it ever arose,” he said.

Rane said this is not the first time that his house has been under scanner, but the authorities have never found any irregularities during their scrutiny in the past.

“Me, my wife, my two sons, their wives and children stay here. A total of eight people reside here. So we never felt the need to build anything more here,” Rane said, adding that he had informed late Sena chief Bal Thackeray about his decision to build a house at Juhu.

“The entire action (notice) is being undertaken to exact revenge by the Shiv Sena and ‘Matoshree’. I am being hounded,” Rane said without naming anyone.

Rane alleged that there are irregularities in the new residence of Uddhav Thackeray, but he (Rane) desisted from speaking about it since it was their personal matter.

Attacking Thackeray, Rane said the chief minister is neither seen visiting Mantralaya nor does he physically attend the cabinet meetings.

The enmity between Rane and Shiv Sena, particularly Uddhav Thackeray is known in Maharashtra political circles. Rane was the chief minister in 1999 in the Sena-BJP government, but he later quit the party after his differences with Uddhav Thackeray. Since then Rane and Thackeray have been at loggerheads.

Meanwhile, during his press conference, Rane also claimed that Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager Disha Salian were murdered. He also alleged that Salian was raped before being killed. However, the minister did not furnish any evidence to buttress his claim.