Mumbai: A serious allegation of discrimination has emerged from a high-end residential complex in Goregaon West, with a local hotelier claiming he was prevented from moving into his rental apartment because of his community background. Rakesh Shetty, a 37-year-old businessman, has filed a legal notice against the Ekta Tripolis Welfare Association, accusing its committee of defamation, discrimination, and harassment. Shetty’s lawyer, Adv Vinod Sampat, issued the legal notice, which highlights repeated discriminatory actions allegedly led by Pankaj Verma, a member of the building’s resident committee.
According to Shetty’s complaint, Verma prevented him from moving into the apartment based solely on his Shetty community background—a move that Shetty’s legal team describes as unlawful and discriminatory. “Despite providing all required documents, including a police No Objection Certificate (NOC) and a valid rental agreement, my client was denied access to his flat solely due to bias,” stated Adv Sampat. The legal notice also claims Shetty was pressured into signing an "inappropriate and unnecessary affidavit" as a condition for his residency.
It invokes the newly enacted BNSS Act 2023, demanding a public apology from the committee, as well as the immediate removal of defamatory content from the residents' WhatsApp group. If these demands are not met within 24 hours, the notice warns that Verma could face both criminal and civil charges under multiple sections of th.