Nainital HC to hear today plea for demolition of Sachin’s Mussoorie home

The final hearing in the matter before the Uttarakhand High Court is scheduled for Monday morning. It was originally to be heard on last Friday but was rescheduled due to paucity of time.

Though the bungalow is ostensibly owned by Tendulakar’s friend and one-time business partner Sanjay Narang, the local estate authorities dispute the fact. According to records, Narang has a power of attorney from one Nicholas Rodricks, son of Michael Rodricks, a resident of Rokeby Manor, Landour.  A statement from Tendulkar’s office had confirmed that he had met Parrikar but denied any economic interest in the property.

The matter relates to the construction carried out in the heritage bungalow without the permission of the Defence Estate Officer, Landour cantonment, under whose jurisdiction this property falls. Landour cantonment was founded by the British way back in 1840s and was maintained as their exclusive abode and even the Maharaja of Tehri did not have access here.

Landour houses the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), and old grant bungalows, wherein the rich and famous stay. These bungalows are generally on a 99- year lease and this is renewed regularly as per rules. One of the lease conditions is that these houses cannot be renovated without permission of concerned military authorities. One such bungalow which has been renovated extensively with a swimming pool belongs to Sanjay Narang. The renovation carried out in the property allegedly breached the 50-foot, no-construction zone next to the Institute of Technology Management, a sensitive DRDO establishment.

Though Narang has represented before Uttarakhand High Court, Nainital that an application was moved in 2012 for renovation, the Defence authorities in November 2014 ordered demolition of the bungalow as it violated provisions under the Cantonment Act 2006. Narang went to Uttarakhand High Court against the demolition orders and managed to get a stay claiming he had secured approval from  local authorities, who in turn claimed that a no- objection certificate had to be obtained from Ministry of Defence.