Delhi govt asked to take action against poorly-built house

"The building is situated in a thickly-populated urban colony posing danger to human habitation in the neighbourhood... State is directed to do the needful in such matters," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

The court's order came on the complaint by a city resident Rajender Chabra who had entered into an agreement in 2005 with a real estate company, M/s Showman Construction and Impex Private Ltd, and its three directors for getting constructed a house on his plot at Greater Kailash in South Delhi.

The Economic Offence Wing of the Delhi police, in its status report, had endorsed the allegations of the complainant saying "the material used in building the house were of very poor quality and the building was prone to damages in earthquakes."

It was also opined in the report that the building should be immediately "dismantled".
The court, which had earlier ordered registration of an FIR against the company and its directors, asked the Delhi government, MCD and the police to take necessary steps.
"Interestingly, one building in which the alleged inferior quality construction was carried out had fallen in the jurisdiction of Shakarpur police station here and in which more than 70 persons have died. The probable danger of this construction is of similar nature," the court said.

"Considering the probable danger in existence in urban human habitation in Delhi itself, this is a serious matter," it said while posting the matter for further hearing on November 28.

Earlier, the court had ordered registration of FIR against the real estate company, and its four officials -- Avdhesh Mittal, Sunil Goyal, Ashok Gupta and Bharti Dogra -- under various provisions of the IPC, pertaining to cheating, restraining a person and criminal conspiracy.

The complainant and his brothers, who jointly owned a plot measuring 500 square yards, had entered into a business deal with the company for building a strong, earthquake-proof three-storeyed house.

Later, Chabra panicked and approached the court alleging that the accused were cheating him by using poor quality material. The police favoured demolition of the structure.