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Mukesh Ambani's Antilia deal has irregularities: Wakf report

Antilia is among the costliest residential properties in the world and is situated on the plush Altamount Road in Peddar Road area of South Mumbai.

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The Action Taken Report (ATR) submitted by the Wakf Board in the Maharashtra assembly on Friday has pinpointed irregularities in the land deal concerning Antilia, the controversial multi-crore residence of Mukesh Ambani.

Antilia is among the costliest residential properties in the world and is situated on the plush Altamount Road in Peddar Road area of South Mumbai.

After receiving the report, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state will initiate action as per the Wakf Board's ATR. "We will not spare anyone who is guilty," Fadnavis said.

A Reliance spokesperson refused to comment on the issue and said they will not be able to comment on it unless they see the report.

Ambani had bought a plot of land admeasuring 4,532.39 sq m by paying Rs 21.5 crore to Wakf Board in 2002. The deal instantly got mired in controversy, because the land belonged to Wakf Board. Following the controversy, retired judge A T A K Sheikh was asked to look into the matter and submit a report to the state.

Ambani has already constructed the 27-storey building on the Wakf Board land for approximately Rs 200 crore. In August 2002, the charity commissioner had approved the land deal for the Mukesh Ambani-promoted Antilia Commercial Private Ltd. After this, the land was sold to Ambani in November 2002.

After the deal, Congress leader Anis Ahmad had complained against this decision of the Wakf Board.

The report pointed that out of the nine Wakf Board members, only five approved the sale. It had less than the 2/3 majority during meetings held in 2004 and 2005. Judge Sheikh, therefore, observed that it violates Section 32 (2) of Wakf Act 1995.

"Former chairman of the board, late MA Ajij and Harun Adam Solkar and M Y Patel, actively participated in this decision and they are responsible for the deal," the report states. The mater is currently pending in the Bombay high court.

"The land was sold to Ambani without the permission of the Wakf Board. As per the Wakf Board rule 32 (2) J, while selling any land, the board has to take 2/3 members prior approval and such resolution needs to be passed in the meeting as well. Therefore, the decision of giving land is void. Besides, Section 112 (3) of Wakf Board Act 1995 pointed out that the charity commissioner has no authority over the Wakf Board land. Therefore, the charity commissioner's decision of 2002 does not hold any value. The Wakf Board's sale, lease, transfer or rent decisions and agreement should not be done without the prior permission of the Wakf Board. Therefore, this deal is termed void," the report said.

According to the report, Wakf Board land is not privately owned. It is a trust land, and, therefore, prior permission of the Board is needed to sell the land. The Karim Bhai Trust and Wakf Board should come together and resolve the issue amicably because the matter can prolong in the court," the report states.

As per Sheikh's ATR report, the land belongs to Karim Bhai Ibrahim who had given this land for the religious education of Muslim orphans. In 1896, the Khoja community had given this land for the welfare and education of orphans. It had also asked to appoint a teacher.

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