Supreme Court Judge Slams Illegal Hoardings in Thane, Cops Rush to File FIR

Within hours of Supreme Court Judge Justice Abhay Oka taking strong exception to illegal hoardings in Mira Bhayandar, on the outskirts of Mumbai, police booked a man in connection with the unauthorised banners.

The case was registered on Saturday on a complaint by the anti-hawker squad of the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation against one Rajaram Ninave, an official said on Sunday.

Justice Oka on Saturday expressed displeasure over the culture of illegal hoardings and said that the Bombay High Court had earlier mandated that prior authorisation was necessary to display them.

Speaking at the inauguration of a magistrate court in Mira Bhayandar township in Maharashtra's Thane district, he said on his way to the venue, he spotted several banners put up to welcome guests at the event.

Although he was initially delighted to see them, he later realised that these banners were illegal, the SC judge said.

"A Bombay High Court judgment mandates that no banners or hoardings should be displayed without prior authorisation. But none of these hoardings had the required permission number, which made them illegal," he said, adding that the local civic body must take immediate action to pull down such banners.

Hours later, the Kashigaon police booked Ninave for putting up illegal hoardings concerning the inauguration of the court building. Charges have been invoked against him under the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, the official added.

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