MUMBAI: An activist on Wednesday said the Bombay High Court had sought a reply from former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in connection with the transfer of at least 102 acre of land in Pune to a realtor.
Ravi Barhate moved the High Court in 2010 seeking a detailed probe into the matter. On July 12, the court heard the petition that accused Chavan, then Maharashtra Revenue Minister, of transferring the prime-location land on Senapati Bapat Road to a private developer in the year 2002 by flouting rules.
According to Barhate, the land originally belonged to ramoshis (servants in Chhatrapati Shivaji’s kingdom), and the state government took its possession in 1951. Mayuresh Developers took the power of attorney of the original owners and demanded the land in 2001.
Chavan accepted the request and handed over the land to the developer, though some offices of the Animal Husbandry Department were situated there.
“The Pune Collector had submitted a report saying the state government should revest the land from ramoshis for its own purposes. Chavan transferred it to Mayuresh Developers because its director is his close friend,” the activist alleged.
The current market price of the land is around Rs. 3,000 crore. According to Barhate, a plush housing society sits on the land now. “Many high-profile bureaucrats have flats in this society,” he added. Commenting on the issue, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said his party would pursue the matter to its logical end.