Trust, developer agree to scrap land deal

The property in Model Colony, measuring about 12,000 square metres, includes a Jain boarding facility and temple under the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, established in 1958

As Seth Hirachand Nemchand Digambar Jain Boarding Trust and Gokhale landmarks LLP showed interest to cancel the sale deed of the boarding, the charity commissioner during a hearing on the case in Mumbai on Tuesday asked them to submit the affidavit by October 30.

The Union minister denied all the allegations, saying he had withdrawn his stake in Gokhale Landmarks LLP even before the deal was formalised. (HT)

The charity commissioner on October 20 had directed the joint charity commissioner in Pune to verify whether a Jain temple exists on the 3.5-acre property and if redevelopment will affect it since the sale deed did not mention it.

Advocate Yogesh Pande, representing the Association of SHND Hostel Alumni (ASHA), said, “As both parties have shown interest to withdraw the land deal, the charity commissioner extended the status quo till October 30 and asked both sides to submit the mutual affidavit.”

Jain activist Akshay Jain who was present at the hearing said, “The Jain Boarding trustees agreed in front of the commissioner to accept the withdrawal request by the developer. As both parties are ready to withdraw the proposal, we are happy as our fight with the support from all sections of society ended in success.”

Meanwhile, days after Union minister Murlidhar Mohol’s name surfaced in the land deal, the developer on Sunday announced its withdrawal from the agreement for the prime property acquired this year for ₹311 crore, of which ₹230 crore was paid.

The property in Model Colony, measuring about 12,000 square metres, includes a Jain boarding facility and temple under the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, established in 1958.

At the start of the year, the protesters, including monks and alumni, opposed the sale alleging it violates the trust deed and omits disclosure of the historic temple’s presence after the charity commissioner allegedly approved the deal between the trustees and the developer.

The controversy also took a political turn, with former MLA and Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar publicly supporting the Jain community and demanding that the deal be scrapped, alleging the involvement of Mohol in the transaction. The Union minister denied all the allegations, saying he had withdrawn his stake in Gokhale Landmarks LLP even before the deal was formalised.