Mumbai Beat — COFEPOSA detenue escapes

MUMBAI, November 12: A COFEPOSA detenue, who was brought to Esplanade Court for remand, escaped through a judge's toilet window this aftern...

MUMBAI, November 12: A COFEPOSA detenue, who was brought to Esplanade Court for remand, escaped through a judge’s toilet window this afternoon.

The incident took place around 3 pm. After his trial in the 3rd Court, Salim Mohammed Kader sought permission to answer nature’s call. He entered a staff toilet on the first floor, and noticing that there was no escort around, got into the judge’s toilet.

Once inside, he locked the door, removed the glass pane on the rear side and glided down the sewer pipe. Kader soon merged with the crowd in the busy court premises. Kader was brought to the city this morning from Nasik jail in connection with a smuggling case.

Landlords’ petition

Story continues below this ad

* Several lakh tenants in the city occupying tenements in old and dilapidated buildings will have to wait for a month to know whether they would be asked the shell out more rent. A division bench of the Supreme Court hearing the landlords’ petition concluded the final hearing last Monday and adjourned the matter for a month for final order, a press note from Flat Owners Association said. The association’s secretary Mahabaleshwar Morge said the question whether to increase the rent or not would be decided by the Court.

Gopchar bldgs demolished

* Defying a stay order of the Bombay High Court, buidings belonging to the Worli Gopchar Bhoye Sansthan near Worli naka were demolished today, rendering 12 families homeless. The HC had ordered the stay this morning.

Residents of the Gopchar chawl have alleged that the demolition was carried out by Unity Constructions, known for its proximity to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. According to the company’s plan, 72 tenants of the chawl are to be shifted to three new buildings. Of these, two buildings which will accommodate 48 tenants are already constructed, but the 12 families whose houses were demolished had refused to shift as the company had denied them ownership rights.

No company officials were available for comment despite repeated efforts.