MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde government has informed the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court that it has cancelled the allocation of five acres of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) land to 17 Nagpur-based developers. In its report, the chief minister has clarified that he was not unaware about the land until December 14.
“However, after the court observations in the NIT land, I was briefed about it on December 14. We have decided to withdraw the decision that facilitated land allocation to 16 developers. The court can now take further action on the basis of the submitted report,” said the chief minister’s response submitted in the court.
It was alleged that the five acres of NIT plot were illegally allocated to 16 Nagpur-based developers at throwaway prices Rs 2 crore against the actual market price of Rs 100 crore. Shinde was the urban development minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government.
The opposition has alleged he had ignored the court stay order on the land allocation. NCP MLA and former minister Jitendra Ahwad raised an uproar in the state assembly over the issue and demanded Shinde’s resignation. The CM’s decision cancelling the land allocation came following the move to allow five acres of NIT plot to developers.
“The NIT land scam shows that the CM was involved in it when he was urban development minister. After the scam surfaced, Shinde cancelled the allocation and briefed the court that he was not aware that the matter was sub judice to save himself,” said the NCP leader.
“Shinde cannot escape from the responsibility and try to cover up the matter. But the people of Maharashtra know the truth that CM Shinde was involved in the land scam,” NCP leader said.
Interestingly, Maharashtra BJP chief and MLC Chandrashekhar Bawankule joined the chorus of Maha Vikas Aghadi and demanded a probe into the NIT land allocation. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray demanded resignation of Shinde over the NIT land scam. Thackeray said that for a fair probe of the matter, Shinde should step down as the CM.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said in the Assembly the Opposition has “fallen flat on its face” in the Nagpur land allotment case after the Bombay High Court observed it had taken note of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde withdrawing a 2021 regularisation order linked to the land allocation and closed the issue.
Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, maintained there was no “scam” in the land allotment matter as alleged by the Opposition. ‘Considering the fact that now the order of regularisation has been withdrawn by the Chief Minister as per his order dated 16-12-2022, we are of the view that the purpose of the order dated 14-12-2022 passed by this Court has been served and now this issue is close,’ the HC observed on Thursday.
The court also observed that as regards the issue of regularisation, the state government would be at liberty to decide the same in accordance with the law depending upon the final outcome of the petition (related to the Nagpur land allotment case).
NCP MLA suspended over remarks on Speaker
Maharashtra state legislative Assembly suspended NCP MLA Jayant Patil for his ‘shameless’ words against the Speaker Rahul Narvekar, on Thursday. Amid the demand of reopening Disha Salian death case, the Speaker allowed only BJP and Shinde group to speak while except Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, no one was allowed. Frustrated NCP MLA Jayant Patil for not being able to speak on the issue, called the Speaker shameless for his unfair conduct and was later suspended.
SIT to probe Sushant manager’s death
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered setting up the SIT to probe the death of Disha Salian, manager of Sushant Singh Rajput. The ruling party mainly BJP MLA Nilesh Rane alleged that Disha Salian death was not a suicide, she was killed. BJP MLAs made allegations that Aditya Thackeray was present at the party at Disha Salian when she committed the suicide. They alleged Thackeray was responsible for her death. The SIT should be formed for the proper investigations of this case.