New Delhi: Builders and owners of the razed Maradu apartment complexes have come out against the justice K Balakrishnan Nair committee appointed by the Supreme Court.

Builders and owners alleged that those who granted permission to construct the buildings will never be found as there are highly placed government officials in the committee. They have also filed a petition in the apex court in this regard.

The primary demand in the petition is to appoint a civil court led by a district judge to probe the complaints.

The builders and owners approached the SC as there was a chance of justice Balakrishnan Nair committee being entrusted with the responsibility to find those who granted permission to construct the buildings.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had observed that those who granted permission to construct the buildings illegally must be identified and that compensation must be claimed from them. The SC had also said that the culprits must be identified after the buildings were demolished.

However, the SC had not specified the method to identify the culprits. In this situation, a concern developed that the Balakrishnan Nair committee would be appointed for this task as well.

As there are highly placed government officials in the committee, no action will be taken against government officers who granted permission for the buildings. Hence, the builders and owners demanded that a civil court presided over by a district judge be appointed to consider all the petitions regarding Maradu flats.

Meanwhile, several others have approached the SC seeking to appoint a special tribunal to decide the compensation.