Construction at graveyard: HC seeks reply

Expressing shock at allegations of a graveyard in Pune being dug and skeletons removed for development and construction of five Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings,Bombay High Court (HC) sought replies Thursday from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and SRA.

A division bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and S C Gupte was hearing a PIL by Mushtaque Fakhruddin alleging a three-acre plot having a mosque and burial ground was fraudulently sanctioned for development by the civic body in connivance with developer Golden Constructions. He said the developer had started construction of five buildings on the land and was removing skeletons from the graveyard.

“It is shocking where we are headed. Hope skeletons are not being removed,” justice Chandrachud said. The bench directed PMC and SRA to file an affidavit by July 16 stating if construction was taking place at the graveyard.