Comedian Kapil Sharma on Friday stirred up a hornet’s nest by alleging that an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had asked him to pay a bribe of Rs 5 lakh in lieu of permission
Comedian Kapil Sharma on Friday stirred up a hornet’s nest by alleging that an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had asked him to pay a bribe of Rs 5 lakh in lieu of permission to add another floor to his office in Juhu. As it turned out later, the BMC had issued a notice to him on July 18 on the grounds that his office was illegal and told him to furnish details if he has permission to build it. Subsequently, the BMC partially demolished the said structure. However, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis took a serious note of Kapil’s post on Twitter, which he had marked to the PM, and ordered the BMC vigilance department to conduct investigation into it.
The actor has also requested the CM for personal audience to discuss the issue. Interestingly, though he did not disclose any name, he also claimed that Shiv Sena and MNS also demanded money from him.
However, as the Shiv Sena challenged him to reveal names and the MNS threatened to stop his show, Mr Sharma again tweeted later in the day, trying to downplay the matter by saying he was not singling out any political party. “I just voiced my concern on the corruption I faced with certain individuals... It’s no blame on any political party be it BJP, MNS or Shiv Sena,” he wrote.
Early on Friday morning, Mr Sharma tweeted, “I am paying 15 cr income tax from last 5 year n still i have to pay Rs 5 lacs bribe to BMC office for making my office.”
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ram Kadam filed a complaint with the cyber cell of Mumbai police alleging that Mr Sharma, by keeping mum on the “bribe” demand, did not “discharge his duty as a citizen”. Confirming the complaint, Mumbai police spokesperson Ashok Dudhe said, “Since the allegations are related to the anti-corruption bureau, the application is going to be forwarded to the same for further inquiry.”
