Sameer Bhujbal accuses Catholic family is not settling dispute despite attempts

Anjali Damania accuses Bhujbal family of land grabbing, NCP leader Sameer Bhujbal accuses Fernandes family of not settling the dispute.

Mumbai: A day after activist Anjali Damania accused the Bhujbal family of grabbing the land from a Catholic family in Santacruz West to build their residential tower, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) Mumbai president Sameer Bhujbal accused 78-year-old Doreen Fernandes, head of a Catholic family, for not settling the dispute despite making several attempts.

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The nephew of senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal also alleged that activist Anjali Damania is using the Fernandes family to defame them politically. He said that the draft agreement to settle the dispute has been ready since last October but Fernandes showed no interest in taking it ahead.

Sameer made the charge in response to Damania’s allegations that Chhagan Bhujbal had allegedly snatched the bungalow from the Fernandes family in Santacruz to build a high-rise and not given them any flats or money that was promised. The allegations were made on Saturday.

It is one of the properties that was attached by the enforcement directorate (ED) after the central investigation agency booked Bhujbal and Sameer in a money laundering case. Sameer, a former MP is Bhujbal’s nephew.

On Sunday, Sameer said that Fernandes family had entered into an agreement with a private developer (Palm Shelters, a Raheja owned firm) to construct a high rise in 1994 but they did nothing for ten years. The family then approached Bombay Catholic Cooperative Housing Society, Frederick Noronha of M/s Frest Investment and Leasing Co. Pvt Limited, who promised to assist them in the redevelopment.

He came in touch with Parvesh Constructions (a real estate firm owned by the Bhujbal family). As decided, their firm paid the determined amount to Noronha and Palm Shelters. Noronha was supposed to give newly developed flats to Fernandes’ family. In 2003, a power of agreement was signed between the family and Parvesh Construction but later they came to know that they got nothing either from Raheja or Noronha.

“We decided to help them. In 2014, things were agreed, an agreement was signed and they also gave a letter to the society for the transfer of the lease deed, but later they backed out from the deal.

Meanwhile, the family approached the Bombay high court. According to Sameer, on March 22, 2017 the high court disposed of the matter saying that they will have to approach the appellate tribunal as the property has been attached by the enforcement directorate.

A few years later Supriya Sule, Baramati NCP (Sharad Pawar-led faction) MP intervened over Damania’s request. “It was decided that we will provide a sum of ₹50 lakh in addition to fees of the advocates for approaching the appellate tribunal among other things. A cheque of ₹50 lakh was handed over to them but later they chose not to cash it, maybe at the behest of Damania.”

A draft agreement was again prepared and despite making several attempts, they did not come forward to take it ahead. “The responsibility for giving remuneration was with Raheja and Frederick Noronha but we decided to help them as we are from a political family and don’t want any unnecessary allegations,” Sameer said adding that they are still ready to help them in whatever way they can.

“We have not grabbed anyone’s property and followed all the rules,” he clarified Damania has been raising the issue of a Catholic family having three autistic children who were allegedly evicted from their property to make a residential building for Bhujbals. On Saturday, she had arrived at the Bhujbal’s residence in Santacruz West, along with four to five people to conduct a press conference. The police briefly detained her and issued a notice under the Maharashtra Police Act.