Harassment by Housing Society

I recently got a mail by a friend who was being harassed by his housing society members.

I am putting this mail here for your perusal. I live in Ghaziabad so I won’t be of much help in this case, but if you are a Mumbai resident kindly do provide information on the front.

Thanks
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Dear Sir,

I have a query. I recently acquired permission from my housing society in Mumbai to re-plaster the internal walls of the flat and re-do the tiling. It was in very bad condition and difficult to stay.

The Society committee members recently slapped me with a Rs. 25,000 fine claiming I had violated the structural integrity of the building by touching the beams and columns. In reality, it was just the exterior fascia (plastering only) and no structural modifications were done. As a confident structural engineer from IIT Bombay, I find the whole case really nonsense and am very confident that some of the society members have some personal vendetta against me and hence the allegations. I must mention that I have got local structural engineers to inspect and certify that the level of works have not violated the structural integrity of the building. They, on the other hand have not got any structural engineer from their side to back their claims.

I am confident that the Society is misusing its powers to abuse me this way. Are there any legal clauses that I can use to prevent their misuse of power? Can you please quote the same and help me in this regard? I am based outside India and the local follow-up is difficult and expensive. I have my own personal problems and cannot put up with such nonsense. Who do I approach?

Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,

XYZ
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