Kerala: Maradu Flat Owners' Review Pleas To Be Heard In Open Court, Says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear in open court review pleas of some Maradu flat owners in Kochi seeking appropriate relief from the builders. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said it would hear the review petitions in an open court on the point of appropriate relief from the builders. The counsel appearing for the Kerala government submitted a status report and said the state had partially complied with the earlier apex court order of demolition of the Maradu flats.

In compliance of the top court's earlier order, the state government has paid 27.99 crore as interim compensation to the Maradu flat owners and it will be paying 33.51 crore more to them, the counsel said.

The court then asked the state government to ensure full compliance of apex court's earlier order, including the demolition of the Maradu flats.

In October, the Supreme Court had asked the Kerala government to give Rs 25 lakh interim compensation to Maradu flat owners after it was brought to its notice that some of the flat owners were given a lesser amount. A bench of justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat asked the builders of Maradu flat to deposit Rs 20 crore within one month with the court-appointed committee. The top court said the attached bank account of the builders will be detached for depositing Rs 20 crore with the committee. The bench also asked builders to submit their banking details on affidavit with the court.

It also rejected a prayer of builder association Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) that the Maradu flats be not demolished and put to some other use. "We are not going back from our demolition orders. This matter can't be agitated afresh. Our order is final," the bench said while rejecting the plea of CREDAI.

The top court had also asked the one-member committee to assess the documentary proof of payments made by flat owners to builders after some homebuyers told the bench that they had paid more than Rs 25 lakh to the developers. The Kerala government also informed the court that they have till now disbursed over Rs 10 crore as interim compensation to flat owners.