Criminal complaint filed against Lalit Modi on purchase of 'havelis'

A criminal complaint has been filed against Lalit Modi, embroiled in the IPL controversy, and nine others seeking police investigation into alleged illegal purchase of two heritage havelis in the protected Amer zone in 2007.

The complaint was filed yesterday against Modi, his wife Minal and eight others in the chief judicial magistrate's court by one Sandeep Bhatra on behalf of NGO Nagrik Morch and will be taken up for hearing on Monday.

Bhatra alleged in the complaint that the couple managed to purchase the two heritage havelis known as Chabdon Ki Haveliyan situated near the historical Amber fort in Jaipur.

"The havelis are part of the area which was notified as protected by the state government in the year 1966, but both Lalit and Minal Modi managed to purchase them fraudulently through a company 'Heritage City Construction Pvt. Ltd.', of which both became directors soon after the purchase," the complaint alleges.

The havelis were used for accommodation of priests of Shila Mata temple in the Fort and are government properties," Ajay Jain, advocate of Bhatra, said today.

Efforts to get Modi's reaction did not fructify.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had said that the law department was examining whether the old mansions belonged to the government.

Action, if any, will be taken only after the law department gives its comments on the inquiry report on the heritage buildings issue, he said yesterday.