Hello Mumbai City Desk
Case Details
Bench: Bombay
CNR No.: HCBM010125462026
Stamp No.: WPST/7240/2026
Filing Date: 12/03/2026
Reg. No.: WP/4687/2026
Reg. Date: 09/04/2026
Petitioner: SATISH GOVIND MALEKAR
Respondent: THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR THE SECRETARY UN…
Petn. Adv.: PRASHANT DAULATRAO PATIL
District: NASHIK
Bench: DIVISION
Status: Pre-Admission
Next Date: 11/06/2026
Stage: FOR ADMISSION
Coram: HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE R. I. CHAGLA, HON’BLE JUSTICE ADVAIT M. SETHNA.
Last Date: 28/04/2026
Stage: FOR ADMISSION
Key Highlights of the Case
Shri. Satish Govind Malekar,
Age: 60 years, Occ.: Retired,
R/at: Block No. D, Room No. 10,
Trimurti Sadan, Upnagar,
Appu Chowk, Nashik – 422 006.
…Petitioner
VERSUS
1. The State of Maharashtra
Through the Secretary,
Urban Development Department,
Mantralaya, Mumbai.
2. The Commissioner,
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai,
having office at Mahapalika Bhavan,
CSMT Mumbai.
3:. The Chief Engineer, (SWD),
City Engineering Hub Building,
E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai.
4. The Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Administration),
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai,
having office at Mahapalika Bhavan,
CSMT Mumbai.
5. The Administrative Officer, (SWD)
City Engineering Hub Building,
E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai.
6. The Chief Accountant,
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai,
having office at Mahapalika Bhavan,
CSMT Mumbai.
7. The Chief Enquiry Officer,
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
8. The Addl. Municipal Commissioner, (City)
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai,
having office at Mahapalika Bhavan,
CSMT Mumbai.
9. The Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education)
F South Ward,
Parel (E), Mumbai.
MUMBAI – Satish Govind Malekar, a retired Assistant Engineer ( Designated Officer then ‘E’Ward ) for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), has moved the Bombay High Court to secure his long-overdue retirement benefits. Once nicknamed “Demolition Man” for his aggressive stance against unauthorized constructions, Malekar alleges he is now the victim of a calculated “malafide” campaign by authorities to withhold his pension and dues.
The writ petition, filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, names the State of Maharashtra and several high-ranking BMC officials as respondents.
A Career Marked by Conflict :
During his tenure in the BMC’s ‘E-Ward,’ Malekar was known as a “strict and ethical” officer. His petition claims he demolished over 500 unauthorized structures, including those linked to underworld figures in areas like Teli Mohall and China Building. This uncompromising approach reportedly led to three life-threatening attacks on him, resulting in police cases registered at the Agripada Police Station.
The petitioner’s troubles allegedly began in May 2018. Malekar asserts that he was transferred out of ‘E-Ward’ due to intense political pressure. A year later, in April 2019, an inquiry was initiated against him—a move he describes as a retaliatory tactic.
According to the filing, the inquiry was “prolonged for years” with the intent to harass him as he approached his retirement date of September 30, 2023. Just seven months before his exit, the City Engineer imposed a fine of ₹20,000 as a penalty, a move Malekar claims was designed to obstruct his post-retirement benefits.
Financial Distress and Medical Emergency
The petition paints a grim picture of Malekar’s life post-retirement. Despite retiring in late 2023, his primary benefits—including Provident Fund, Earned Leave encashment, and Arrears of Pay Commission (dating back to 2003)—remained unpaid for over two years.
The delay took a personal toll in 2025. Facing a medical emergency, Malekar was forced to pay the ₹20,000 fine under protest in June 2025 to move his paperwork forward, as he was in “dire need of money” for a cornea transplant. He eventually underwent eye surgery at Shankara Netralaya in Chennai in August 2025.
Allegation of Mental Harrasment :
In a formal writ petition, Mr. Malekar alleged systematic harassment by municipal authorities, claiming that his appeal for a penalty waiver—which included a comprehensive action-taken report and supporting evidence—was deliberately stalled. According to the petition, the appeal was intentionally withheld for over a year by the then-Additional Municipal Commissioner, Ashwin Bhide, before being forwarded to the then-Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC), Chanda Jadhav. Mr. Malekar further contended that DMC Jadhav subsequently issued an order on the matter without including a mandatory execution date, asserting that these procedural lapses and delays by both high-ranking officers were coordinated efforts to cause him undue professional and personal distress
Seeking Justice :
The petition highlights that while Malekar finally received “partial” retirement benefits on October 31, 2025, several dues and his full pension remain entangled in red tape.
Through his advocate, Prashant D. Patil, Malekar is now urging the High Court to:
Grant a “Deemed Date of Promotion” which he claims was due since September 2018.
Release all remaining retirement dues with interest due to the 24-month delay.
Appeal Normalize his pension payments immediately.
The case brings into focus the plight of whistleblowers and “strict” officers within the administration, raising questions about whether the system protects those who enforce the law or leaves them vulnerable once they hang up the uniform.
