Mumbai: The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation early on Wednesday demolished the house and office of local All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator Mateen Patel, who allegedly harboured Nida Khan, key accused in the Nashik Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) sexual harassment and conversion case. Several municipal corporators and police personnel accompanied the demolition team.
Patel was issued a notice on Saturday by the Anti-Encroachment Department on alleged illegal construction of the house. The demolition notice sought his response within three days.
Nida Khan was held from this very house in Naregaon in Sambhajinagar on Thursday night in a joint operation of the Nashik and Sambhajinagar Police. Patel was later charged by the Nashik Police for sheltering Khan.
Patel had on Monday approached the Bombay High Court’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Bench, challenging the municipal demolition notice. Describing the municipal notice as unlawful and arbitrary in his plea, Patel sought a 15-day period to file a detailed reply. On Tuesday, the court heard the matter, but gave no relief to Patel, posting the next hearing for 18 May without issuing a stay on the demolition notice.
#WATCH | Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar: The Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Municipal Corporation initiates the demolition of properties belonging to AIMIM Corporator Matin Patel. pic.twitter.com/JHrmuLf8ie
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2026
Speaking to reporters at the site on Wednesday, Santosh Wahule, head of the Anti-Encroachment Department in Sambhajinagar, said the court has not issued a stay order on the demolition notice. He further added that “a total of 150 municipal employees, 120 police personnel, 10 JCBs (bulldozers), 2 Poclain machines and 10 tippers (dump trucks) are present at the demolition site”.
Patel’s family was seen watching the demolition with a floral garland, while his wife was seen holding a copy of the Constitution. The family also approached Wahule with a garland of flowers even as local residents showered petals on municipal employees. Wahule accepted the garland. “Maybe they too feel that the city should be rid of such illegal construction. That is the way I see it,” Wahule told reporters.
The party’s case
AIMIM’s Maharashtra President Imtiaz Jaleel, from Sambhajinagar, visited Naregoan on Tuesday and addressed locals, declaring his support to Patel and Khan. On Wednesday, after the demolition of the properties, Jaleel held a press conference where he said: “The showering of flowers on the municipal employees and police were not to appreciate them; they were showering flowers on the ‘nainsafi ki arthi’ (funeral procession of injustice).”
Jaleel also pointed that the Supreme Court has ruled that the administration must issue a 15-day notice and seek a reply in the same time-frame before demolishing any illegal structure. During Tuesday’s hearing at the Sambhajinagar High Court Bench, “the prosecution lawyer did not agree to this, but in open court the lawyer agreed to a seven-day time period,” Jaleel said.
“Not even 24-hours had passed since then (notice being served). What was the urgency of calling the police and security forces at 4 am and starting the demolition as early as 5.30-6.00 am? Was there a national security issue or a national threat? Why did the demolition have to happen today, within 24 hours?” he said.
Jaleel flashed a copy of a November 2024 Supreme Court order by Justice B.R. Gavai, saying the Supreme Court has ruled that no demolition can be carried out without a prior show-cause notice and a minimum 15-day window for the affected person to respond or seek legal remedy. He added that the court said authorities must pass a detailed final order explaining why demolition is necessary, whether the structure is compoundable, and why alternatives such as partial demolition are not possible.
Jaleel went on: “The court has also ruled that the owners or occupiers should first be given an opportunity to remove or demolish the unauthorised portion themselves within 15 days. Only if they fail to do so, and if no stay is granted by any court or appellate authority, can the civic authorities proceed with demolition.”
Jaleel met Patel’s family and the people of Naregaon late on Tuesday, telling them he would shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding the house. “Had I not gone to meet them late night at 2 am, they would have opposed the demolition this morning. I only told them one thing, that they are coming to demolish the house but we will take the responsibility of rebuilding the house. By ‘we’ I mean everyone who is sick of the ‘gunda raaj (thug rule)’ in the country; we will all contribute, I will contribute,” Jaleel said on Wednesday.
‘Urban terrorism’
Sanjay Shirsat, state Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and MLA from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar West constituency from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, claimed that Mateen is not as guilty as Imtiaz Jaleel. He has further challenged Jaleel to swear on the Quran and say that he is not responsible for bringing Nida to Sambhajinagar.
“Who is Mateel Patel? A small local corporator. He does not have the guts to pull this off. I openly challenge Imtiaz Jaleel. If you believe in Islam and the Quran Sharif, keep your hand on it and say you did not bring Nida Khan. If you have the guts, accept the role you played. You instigate people under the name of Islam,” Shirsat said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Shirsat also said illegal construction has never been supported in the city. “In the last eight months, we have demolished around 6,000 illegal constructions. We have never supported illegal construction,” he said. On Jaleel flashing the Supreme Court order, Shirsat said, “Does he understand the law better than the courts? Let the high court look into it.”
He added that Jaleel tried to influence Patel’s family by meeting them late night on Tuesday just after before the demolition. “ You must have seen last night, he gave a speech there. He tried to emotionally influence his family. What did he say? ‘They are coming to demolish Matin Patel’s house.’ I do not know from where he got the information about the demolition beforehand, but he said, ‘Do not worry. We will build a house for you. We will elect Matin Patel again’,” Shirsat said at the press conference.
“This is called urban terrorism,” he said, adding, “I would request the police that cases should be registered against such speeches.”
BJP legislator and Minister of Fisheries and Ports Nitesh Rane spoke to the press on Wednesday. “If you are doing jihad in Maharashtra, then Deva bhau’s (Devendra Fadnavis) bulldozer will definitely come in,” he said.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)