Kandivali School OC Scam Exposed!
• BMC Under Fire for Playground Fraud
• Public Park Misused, OC Under Scanner
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has exposed serious corruption and regulatory violations in the issuance of a Partial Occupancy Certificate for Kapol Vidyanidhi School in Kandivali. Allegations involve misuse of public park land, expired leases, and collusion by BMC officials. The report demands cancellation, inquiry, and urgent corrective action.
Contents
Kandivali School OC Scam Exposed!• BMC Under Fire for Playground Fraud• Public Park Misused, OC Under ScannerBMC’s Playground Concession: Corruption Alleged in Approval ProcessExpired Lease, False Representation & Violation of DCPR 2034Open Space Deficiency and MRTP Act BreachesEnvironmental & Accessibility Violations: MOEF and Disability Law BreachedSprouts SIT Recommendations: Cancellation, Inquiry & AccountabilityPublic Interest at Stake: Will BMC Act or Stay Silent?Editor’s NoteUnjust Fee Practices & Student HumiliationAlso Read: NEET SS 2024 Cut‑Off Chaos: 1,500+ Super‑Speciality Seats Still Vacant.Related Article: Kapol School Harassment Case: NBWs Issued Against Principal.Related Article: School Management in Kandivali Amasses Illicit Wealth.Court-Issued Warrant Over SegregationCapitation Fee & Capricious Extra ChargesLack of Fire Safety Records
In a grave expose that questions regulatory ethics and governance within Mumbai’s civic framework, the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has flagged serious corruption allegations and regulatory violations involving the Partial Occupancy Certificate (Part OC) granted to Wing A of Kapol Vidyanidhi International School, located on Plot C.T.S. No. 101/C, Mahavir Nagar, Kandivali (West). The Part OC, issued on May 31, 2023, has now come under the scanner following a detailed objection submitted to the BMC by a Sprouts reporter on June 18, 2025.
This objection, backed by documentary evidence and statutory citations, implicates high-ranking civic officials, including then Municipal Commissioner I.S. Chahal, Deputy Chief Engineer (Building Proposal) C.D. Chaudhari, and several others, in approving a concession that allegedly relied on expired leases, misrepresentations, and non-compliance with urban development norms under DCPR 2034 and the MRTP Act, 1966.
BMC’s Playground Concession: Corruption Alleged in Approval Process
At the core of the controversy is a concession granted on March 3, 2020, permitting Kapol Vidyanidhi Trust to count Plot Nos. 106 and 111-E—both earmarked as public parks in the Development Plan 2034—towards the mandatory 40% playground requirement under Regulation 38(2)(b), Note 2 of DCPR 2034.
According to the Sprouts SIT report, the concession was irregularly approved despite documented objections and the absence of any active lease beyond August 13, 2022. The trust’s lease renewal was formally rejected by BMC’s Garden Department on August 30, 2023, citing policy vacuum and lack of procedural approval. Despite this, the architect falsely represented the plots as playground space, allegedly in collusion with senior BMC officials.
Expired Lease, False Representation & Violation of DCPR 2034
Sprouts SIT has revealed that Plot Nos. 106 and 111-E were not only misrepresented but were never eligible for exclusive use. The plots were leased only until August 2022 and featured public-use restrictions, including limited operational hours and prohibition of playground-related activities, as clearly displayed on on-site BMC signage.
Despite these clear restrictions, the development proposal for Wing A claimed these plots as fulfilling the open space/playground requirement. Officials like C.D. Chaudhari, Mahesh Pawar, and Pankaj Jadhav are named in the complaint for allegedly turning a blind eye to this misrepresentation, enabling the illegal grant of the Part OC.
Open Space Deficiency and MRTP Act Breaches
Regulatory non-compliance further escalates with the open space shortfall at the site. The required 40% playground area (1,185.76 sq.m for the 2,964.40 sq.m plot) has not been achieved. As per the Sprouts SIT report, this constitutes a 44.89% open space deficiency, a violation under Sections 44, 47, and 51 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966.
These irregularities could invite penalties under Section 52 of the MRTP Act, which penalizes unauthorized development. Furthermore, the trust failed to secure requisite safety and fire clearance certifications, yet the Part OC was granted, further raising suspicion of a systemic breakdown or deliberate bypassing of rules.
Environmental & Accessibility Violations: MOEF and Disability Law Breached
Beyond playground violations, the Kapol Vidyanidhi School project may have contravened broader environmental and accessibility norms. The Sprouts SIT objection points to non-compliance with:
•MOEF Guidelines and EIA Notification, 2006, especially regarding traffic congestion due to 14 school buses without dedicated parking;
•Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, due to absence of proper accessibility provisions.
The school’s development, Sprouts SIT states, bypassed these essential requirements despite being an educational institution located in a densely populated residential zone with significant pedestrian and vehicular activity.
Sprouts SIT Recommendations: Cancellation, Inquiry & Accountability
The objection letter submitted to the BMC outlines six critical actions to restore legality and public accountability:
1.Immediate cancellation of the Part OC for Wing A on Plot C.T.S. No. 101/C.
2.Withhold Part OC for Wing B until proper lease approvals under Section 92 of the MMC Act are obtained.
3.Launch a vigilance inquiry against officials including then Municipal Commissioner I.S. Chahal, Dy Che BP + C.D. Chaudhari, CHE – DP – Sunil Rathod, EE BP – SANTOSH U Raut and past officials.
4.Audit all environmental, traffic, and disability compliance parameters under relevant central laws.
5.Review all six concessions granted between 2020 and 2025 for legality and procedural integrity.
6.Impose penalties under MRTP Act Section 52 for unauthorized development activities.
Public Interest at Stake: Will BMC Act or Stay Silent?
This case illustrates a disturbing pattern where urban regulatory frameworks are allegedly subverted to benefit private trusts under the guise of educational infrastructure. The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) emphasizes that if allowed to stand, this Part OC will set a dangerous precedent, where public parks can be reclassified and usurped through false documentation and administrative complicity.
With multiple layers of statutory breaches, and names of high-ranking BMC officials surfacing, public trust in the municipal building permissions system is at risk. The onus now lies with the BMC and the Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai to act decisively and restore transparency.
Editor’s Note
This report is based on verified government records, official objections submitted to BMC, and independent verification by the Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT). We will continue to monitor this issue and update readers as investigations unfold.
Controversies of the school:
• RTE Recognition and Closure Notice
•The Maharashtra education department served a closure notice under the Right to Education Act, citing lack of RTE recognition .
•The school contested this in Bombay High Court, claiming exemption as a Gujarati minority institution ().
Unjust Fee Practices & Student Humiliation
•In April 2022, 22 students were reportedly segregated and made to sit in a lab for days over unpaid fees. Parents filed an FIR under the Juvenile Justice Act .
•Allegations include forcing students to buy uniforms/textbooks and deploying bouncers, prompting complaints and RTI inquiries .
• Azaan Controversy During Assembly
•In June 2023, a teacher played the Islamic call to prayer (Azaan) during morning assembly. Parents claimed it was inappropriate for a Hindu-majority school. The teacher was suspended, a police enquiry launched, and the principal issued an apology .
Also Read: NEET SS 2024 Cut‑Off Chaos: 1,500+ Super‑Speciality Seats Still Vacant.
Related Article: Kapol School Harassment Case: NBWs Issued Against Principal.
Related Article: School Management in Kandivali Amasses Illicit Wealth.
Court-Issued Warrant Over Segregation
•A Borivali court issued a non-bailable warrant in June 2025 against Principal Reshma Hegde and two head-of-department staff for allegedly segregating students during the fee dispute incident ().
Capitation Fee & Capricious Extra Charges
•Parents and the state education office flagged violations of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act, noting pandemic-time overcharging ().
•The Education Commissioner urged withdrawal of CISCE affiliation due to these irregularities ().
Lack of Fire Safety Records
•An RTI filed with the Mumbai Fire Brigade revealed no records from 2007–2023 of fire-safety audits for the school premises.
Pandemic Farewell Event & Protocol Breach
•The school reportedly held farewell parties during COVID restrictions in 2021, violating pandemic protocols and drawing scrutiny from education authorities .
