In Brief
Three slum dweller societies — Adarsh, Saidham, and Maruti — sought to develop plots in Mumbai under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. After prolonged litigation spanning 14 years, all parties accepted a settlement allowing independent development of each society's plot. When Maruti attempted to withdraw consent via a letter purportedly signed by 172 members, the Supreme Court appointed a Local Commissioner, who found only 6 genuine signatures with remaining names forged from another document. The Court held the withdrawal letter fabricated, rejected the attempt to withdraw, and enforced the settlement as fair and reasonable, allowing all three societies to proceed with independent development in the interest of displaced slum dwellers.
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