Tendulkar pays penalty, gets clearance for his dream house

Mumbai: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has paid a fine of Rs 4.35 lakh to the Mumbai civic body for performing vastu puja at his new five-storey mansion without having the occupancy certificate (OC)."Sachin paid the amount after BMC issued a notice seeking recovery of Rs 4.35 lakh penalty as illegal occupancy charge," a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said today.[caption id="attachment_112778" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="The villa has been reconstructed on a plot that housed a dilapidated bungalow, which Sachin had bought for Rs 39 crore in 2007. Screen grab from ibnlive.com"][/caption]There was controversy after reports that Tendulkar had moved into his new bungalow last month without obtaining the OC for the house on Perry Cross Road in Bandra West. "We have issued the OC to Sachin after receiving necessary documents and the fine amount," he said.After the BMC notice to Tendulkar, Mayor Shraddha Jadhav of Shiv Sena had said there cannot be any exceptions to the rule, but textiles minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, who is the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs, had spoken to Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar requesting him to waive the penalty."Sachin is an icon, who has brought international laurels to the country. Kumar told me that he would examine the issue and act accordingly," Khan had said.The villa has been reconstructed on a plot that housed a dilapidated bungalow, which Sachin had bought for Rs 39 crore in 2007.PTI