Twitter
Advertisement

Whistling Woods should surrender excess land to govt: HC

The court was hearing a PIL alleging gross abuse of power by Vilasrao Deshmukh in allotting a piece of land.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

The Bombay High Court has suggested that Whistling Woods, the film training academy run by producer-director Subhash Ghai, surrender their excess land to the government.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Girish Godbole, while reserving an order in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), suggested that the academy return the excess land and continue to use the structure for two years, considering students have been granted admission this year. The court was hearing a PIL filed by Rajendra Sontakke and four other agriculturists from Latur and Osmanabad alleging “gross abuse of power” by former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in allotting a piece of land.

Prasad Dhakepalkar, counsel for Whistling Woods, said that they were willing to surrender excess land provided they were allowed to retain the structure where the studio and the academy are built.

“We are also willing to pay market rate which were prevailing as on 2000 with interest. There is no point in demolishing the structure,” said Dhakepalkar.

He reasoned that if the contention of the PIL was loss to the exchequer, then they would pay the compensation. When it came to compensation, the court referred to the Ready Reckoner of rates as on January 1, 1995, according to which size of land used by Whistling Woods would have to pay approximately Rs2.34 crore per annum.

“This rate is concessional, after deducting 50% of the existing market rate,” said the chief justice.

Dhakepalkar contended that the Ready Reckoner rates would not be applicable to them since it was not a regular commercial zone. “In regular commercial zones, premises can be openly bought and sold. Here, there are studios.”

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General states that loss of only Rs35 lakh was caused to the exchequer by the direct allotment of the plot, explained Dhakepalkar.

To this, Justice Godbole remarked, “You have to make good for the last ten years for which you have not paid anything.” He added: “There are dozen other directors in Maharashtra who are equally as reputed (as Ghai). They just didn’t know about it (land being allotted by government for academy).”

Dhakepalkar said, “The PIL is against Vilasrao Deshmukh and I am unnecessarily caught in between.”

Mahesh Jethmalani, counsel for the petitioner, argued that there should be an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation since there was involvement of public servants. “There should be a deterrent or such things would keep happening,” added Jethmalani.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement