India, Nov. 4 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a cost of Rs.5 lakh on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for violating its order directing the removal of encroachments from a plot in Borivali East earmarked for a bus yard.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued a contempt notice to BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide, asking her to explain why action should not be taken against her for disobeying the court's orders. It also directed the BMC and the Maharashtra government not to release Bhide's salary or that of her personal staff until the contempt petition is decided.

The court had, on July 28, directed the BMC to clear encroachments from the 3,400-sq-m plot within three months and file a compliance repo...