Will file PIL in land deal case, says LoP

Nagpur: Targeting Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the allotment of Navi Mumbai land to Koyna dam project-affected people, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, demanded a high-level inquiry under high court supervision.

Mr Vikhe-Patil said that he would file a public interest litigation in the high court, and demanded a stay on granting non-agriculture (NA) status to the land and creating third-party interest.

Mr Vikhe-Patil stated that if 22 acres of land were available for just `5 crore, he was ready to purchase it. The Congress may halt the legislature’s proceedings over the
matter.

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam had levelled allegations against the Fadnavis-led government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and warned that he would sue Mr Fadnavis in a court of law. Nearly 24 acres of prime land was allotted to eight farmers’ families who are Koyna project-affected people. Mr Nirupam had claimed that the land was purchased by Manish Bhatija and Sanjay Bhalerao of Paradise Builders at a rate of just `15 lakh per acre and the builder would make money to the tune of `1,767 crore after developing it.  

Reiterating the allegations, Mr Vikhe-Patil claimed that the allotment of government land worth crores of rupees could not have been made without direction from Mr Fadnavis. He questioned how these farmers got prime land in Navi Mumbai.

Mr Vikhe-Patil demanded that the government ban the sale of land for 10 years. He also demanded that Mr Fadnavis order a judicial probe else they would approach the high court through a PIL.