Rani Mukherjee to move HC in fake land deal case

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee would soon be moving Bombay High Court against Ahmednagar District collectorate's order to cancel her ownership of a plot near Shirdi due to irregularities in the deal.

"After the final hearing earlier this month, the Sub-divisional Officer (SDO), Srirampur had passed an order to cancel the name of Rani Mukherjee from the land's sale deed and took over its possession. We will move High Court against the order," Mukherjee's lawyer Nanasaheb Chaudhry said from Shirdi.

The actress is said to have paid Rs 33 lakh in December 2005 for a non-transferable farmland near Shirdi. After the purchase, Rani had paid a stamp duty of Rs 1.32 lakh for registration.

But the title of the land could not be transferred to her name as it belonged to a farmer.

"We disagree with the findings of district administration. It has said that it was an agricultural land hence it was ceiling it and required special permission from the government for transferring it to a non-farmer," Mukherjee's lawyer said.

"The land, however, was already a non-agriculture land hence ceiling was not applicable under Section 47 of Ceiling Act," he further said, adding, 'the issue of the said land being 'non-agricultural land' was not challenged after the Tehsildar had declared it so in 1981.'

"As per law, any matter taken up for revision, has to be done within three years as per Article 137 of Limitation Act," Chaudhry said.

Rani bought the land 10 years ago but the district administration is refusing to transfer it on her name, he said.

The actress' counsel claimed that in a land ceiling revision case, only a Divisional Commissioner is empowered to conduct inquiry and not a Collector or SDO.

"On the basis of these points we will file our writ petition," he said.

The district administration however felt that it had a strong case.

"They are welcome to file writ petition. It is allowed under law. However, we strongly refute the charges made by Mukherjee's lawyer," Additional Resident District Collector Ahmednagar, Bhausaheb Dangde said.

On the powers of a SDO regarding revision matter pertaining to land ceiling case, Dangde clarified Maharashtra Land Revenue Code 1966, Section 257, empowered SDOs.

"Also government is not bound by any time limit under revision. Supreme Court has already given its interpretation regarding limitation in favour of government," he said.

On the land's status Dangde said that a temporary non-agriculture status was allowed for 11 months for brick making. That time lapsed before the transaction was made.