Nagpur News: Buyers opting for flats at Mumbai-based Fariyas Hotel’s sprawling residential project at Khamla may find themselves in deep trouble as the land in question is tangled in a fierce legal battle between the heir’s of erstwhile ruler of Nagpur Shrimant Raje
Bahadur Raghoji Rao Bhonsle and is under the Superintendence of Collector, Court of Wards. About 3 wings of 11 floor each are under construction which would be sold to gullible purchasers, it was learnt.
It is strange how this project was being given a go-ahead by the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) without the consent of the Collector, Court of Wards, Nagpur, with whom the land bearing khasra no. 82-95 at Mouza Khamla had been kept, alongwith other properties, for Superintendence since 1925.
Ironically, the land was released under ULC by the Collector’s office itself to Nelco Griha Nirman Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit on dated 22–02-1996 under Talegaon Dhabade scheme. Another society, Beghar Mitra Gruhnirman Sanstha Maryadit has staked claim in the same property and has gone to the Supreme Court against the order of Mumbai High Court dated 05-05-2006.
On dated 18-08-2006, the Collector Dr Sanjay Mukherjee had written to the Registrar, Nagpur, warning all the sub-Registrar’s not to register any sale-deed relating to the said land. The letter admits that sale-deeds are being done on the said properties in violation of earlier orders and asked the Registrar to strictly prevent such acts in future and also to provide details of any illegal deeds.
Earlier too, the Collector had warned the people of Nagpur through a public notice dated 24-12-1997 that all the properties belonging to late Raghoji Rao has been taken back by the office of the Collector, Court of Wards, Nagpur, and hence any dealings in the staggering list of 35 properties of the Rajah would be illegal. This list includes the Fariyas Hotels property.
“It seems that the authorities including Collector’s office, the NIT, City Survey, MSEDCL and the Fire Department (NMC) that has given a NOC to Fariyas despite several irregularities, are ignoring serious anamolies pointed out through documents obtained from them only under the RTI Act. This mess created by the authorities themselves, may result in huge monetary losses either to general public as an investor or to state government who will have to bear the brunt in case the judgement goes in favour of the legal heirs of Rajah Raghoji Bhonsle,” claims RTI activist Harish Naidu who has been diligently following all the developments in the case.
Interestingly, different arms of the Government have different addresses of Fariyas Hotels. The NIT sends its communication to 25, Arther Bunder Road, Colaba, Mumbai, while the NMC’s Fire Department addresses their letters to C/o Vrindavan Construction, Ajni Square, Nagpur. The MSEDCL, which too is in a soup for providing commercial meter despite various irregularities on the part of Fariyas, gives address as Sita Nagar, Khamla Square, which is non-existent and furthermore the Airport Authority of India has a address of C/o HRM Design Space, 9-A, Ramnagar.
Naidu further says that the authorities appear to have colluded with each other to favour some vested interests. Naidu has already written to the Chief Minister pointing his attention towards this mess who in turn has ordered an investigation into the matter which is moving at snail’s pace for reasons best known to the authorities themselves.
… Rohinikant Matey
