After 20 yrs, Bhujbals pay ₹8.41 cr to Fernandes family

Doreen has faced many hardships in the interim. She lost her husband, Claude Fernandes, which left her as the sole caregiver for her three autistic sons. The family’s haplessness was recently brought to light by social activist and former Aam Aadmi Party leader Anjali Damania

MUMBAI: Doreen Fernandes, a Santacruz-based widow, who has been at war with Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his family for her rightful share following the sale of her ancestral bungalow 20 years ago, has finally received what was due to her.

After 20 yrs, Bhujbals pay ₹8.41 cr to Fernandes family

After facing embarrassment over allegations of land grabbing and not settling the dispute for years, the Bhujbals have paid Doreen ₹8.41 crore as final settlement.

Doreen has faced many hardships in the interim. She lost her husband, Claude Fernandes, which left her as the sole caregiver for her three autistic sons. The family’s haplessness was recently brought to light by social activist and former Aam Aadmi Party leader Anjali Damania. The activist’s 14-minute video clip of a press conference where she accused the Bhujbals of depriving the Fernandes family of their rightful share went viral. On Monday, she posted pictures of Doreen’s passbook which displayed the amount credited to her bank account.

“I am satisfied today, as I could help the Fernandes family get the money for their bungalow. Doreen Fernandes, 78, had been fighting to get justice for the family-owned house. I’m happy that the Bhujbal family has finally paid the dues after a gap of around 20 years,” Damania told HT.

She thanked chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for making the Bhujbals concede. “I have fought many battles against corruption. But this fight has given me a huge satisfaction,” she said.

The money puts to rest the mother’s worries about the future of her three children. “It has been a long wait. We had meetings with Bhujbal’s lawyers for quite some time. Supriya Sule put a lot of pressure; she was present in all the meetings,” said Doreen. “I will invest the money and take care of my sons. I will also form a trust where the funds will remain safe after I am gone. Our survival has been tough, and at many instances I have had to sell off my jewellery.”

When HT reached out to Chhagan Bhujbal on the issue, he said: “We have examined all the papers; they have submitted all documents. The payment has been done.”

Damania first raked up the issue in 2014-15 when Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer, a former MP, faced arrest but it died down soon. When the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government came to power, Damania approached NCP leader Supriya Sule, who had promised to solve the issue, but it was put on ice thereafter.

She alleged the Catholic family was allegedly evicted from their property to make a residential building for the Bhujbals.

Last month, Damania threatened to sit on dharna with Doreen and her three autistic sons but was denied permission by police. She then addressed a press conference, the video of which did the rounds that day. Damania said, it prompted the CM and DCM to intervene.

In 1994, the family entered into an agreement with a builder and was promised five flats in a tower that would be built in the space of their ancestral residence. The developer later sold the plot to a company owned by Sameer Bhujbal. The bungalow was demolished and a high-rise tower was constructed. The Bhujbals reside in the building, while the Fernandes family gained nothing, alleged Damania. She also said despite her filing a case of assets worth ₹2,600 crore disproportionate to known sources of income against Bhujbals, they were still unable to compensate the family.