Mumbai: The files related to the approvals and licenses granted to the upmarket Nines Bar and nightclub on Irla nallah, Juhu, have mysteriously disappeared from the K/west office of the BMC at Andheri. The bar has been operating from 2023 and attracts the swish set of tinsel town. What is more strange is that the ward office has not lodged an FIR regarding the missing files despite instructions from higher ups in the BMC hierarchy.
It was only after the FPJ started its investigation, the designated officer of K/west ward Ashok Adate issued a notice (FPJ has a copy) to the bar owner under section 351 (1) of the BMC act against the unauthorised construction of about 792 sq metres.
A senior civic official told FPJ on condition of anonymity that the bar was not approved either within the layout of the 14 Societies in Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) scheme or in Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. “The area around the banks of Irla nallah was acquired for widening and laying of service road after the 2006 deluge. But subsequently the road laying work was not carried out with the result that the prime land has seen widely rampant encroached with bars, a wedding ground and sports clubs. All the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to these illegal structures,” he lamented.
Joint Municipal commissioner of Zone -IV Vishvas Shankarwar last month ordered the civic health officer of K/west ward Dr Vaishali Khade to file a police complaint for the missing files relating to The Nines Bar from the BMC K Ward office. But she has not done that yet. The bar is owned by Mahesh Shetty and Zubair Mujawar, who claims to be related to state minister.
Investigation by the FPJ revealed that the bar has heavily encroached on public space acquired for Irla nallah widening by the BMC from MHADA for development purposes. But bureaucrats in the BMC, MHADA, SRA and Collector's office have all washed their hands off the issue.
While K West ward civic officials remained tighlipped on the approvals granted to the bar, the state excise superintendent Nitin Ghule and the Mumbai suburban collector Rajendra Kshirsagar too did not respond to calls and messages from FPJ.
RTI activist Imam Haider who has been pursuing the matter alleged that he has been accused of extortion by Shetty and Mujawar. He also claimed that he has been asked by the police to stay away from the matter.
When contacted, Shetty vehemently denied any irregularities and said he had all permissions in place. He alleged that Haidar has been trying to extort money from him by filing false complaints with the authorities. He said the police is yet to act on his complaint.
“This place is operational for last 25 years and we have just changed the name last year to run the bar and club with all valid documents and licences,” he claimed. The police complaint filed by Mahesh Shetty on the letterhead of The Nines has the address Plot No Ground, 70D, Devle Road Opposite Juhu PVR which does not exist in municipal records.
