The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to open the lock of Mantri Square Mall from Friday morning, after the management of the mall gave an undertaking to the court that it would pay ₹20 crore on or before July 31 without prejudice to its challenge to the BBMP’s demand for payment of ₹42 crore as property tax arrears from 2019.
The Vacation Bench of Justice Jyoti Mulimani passed the interim order on a petition filed by M/s Abhishek Propbuild Pvt. Ltd., which is managing the mall. The BBMP locked the mall since May 10.
Of the ₹20 crore, the petitioner will have to pay ₹3.5 crore on or before June 1 and the remaining amount on or before July 31, the court said, accepting the undertaking filed by the petitioner in this regard.