SC appoints retd judge to inquire into illegal Kochi construction case

While ordering  demolition of four apartment complexes that violated the Coastal Regulation Zone norms in Maradu municipality, the SC had in September 2019 asked the state government to pay within four weeks Rs 25 lakh each to the evicted flat owners.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has appointed former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, to inquire into the alleged nexus of builders and officials in erecting illegal residential apartments that were razed in Kerala’s Kochi in January 2020 on the top court’s order.

While ordering  demolition of four apartment complexes that violated the Coastal Regulation Zone norms in Maradu municipality, the SC had in September 2019 asked the state government to pay within four weeks Rs 25 lakh each to the evicted flat owners. The court said that the state could recover the amount from the builderor officials responsible for the illegal constructions.

The state accordingly paid a total of Rs 61.5 crores to the flat owners and urged the court to direct the builders to reimburse the amount to the government.