Fresh trouble for Kapil Sharma, FIR registered against him

Mumbai:  An FIR was registered by the Versova police against popular stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma for allegedly violating the Environment Act, on Monday.

Sharma apparently dumped debris near mangroves behind his bungalow, in suburban Versova and also undertook illegal construction near it, according to the police. Mumbai suburban District Collector Deependra Singh Kushwah had directed officials to conduct a survey to find if Sharma violated the Act by dumping debris near the mangroves.

After the survey, the Andheri talathi filed a police complaint. "We have recorded a case under Sp LAC (special local Acts) No 87/16 U/S 15 (1)(2) Environment Act against Sharma,"

Mumbai police spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe told PTI. The complainant also submitted the mangrove cell report to police, he said.

The bungalow number 71 at Four Bungalows area in Andheri (West), Mhada Colony, was purchased by Sharma from a businessman on November 7, last year, and the actor had allegedly carried out some illegal alterations. Prior to this, the Oshiwara police had last week registered an FIR against the actor under section 53(7) of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP), for alleged unauthorised construction at his flat in suburban Goregaon, based on a complaint by a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official.

Sharma had kicked up a controversy earlier this month by alleging that he had been asked to pay a bribe of Rs 5 lakh by an official of BMC which, in turn, claimed that the actor had flouted norms not only in his Versova office building but also at his apartment in suburban Goregaon. He had also tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet posted on September 9.

Sharma has nearly 63 lakh followers on his Twitter handle and since he tagged the Prime Minister, the tweet generated sharp reactions from all major political parties, with an eye on the forthcoming civic elections.