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Maharashtra Government under major embarrassment due to an RTI plea filed earlier by Mr. Galgali had revealed that the actor was allotted the land at a rate of Rs. 35 per square metre.
“Dream Girl” of Bollywood actoress and lawmaker Hema Malini got an alloted land worth Rs. 70 crore for just Rs. 1.75 lakh for a dance academy in upmarket Oshiwara, under a revised policy of Maharashtra government.
RTI Documents review by activist Anil Galgali which has been received from the Suburban Collector’s office shows that the government allotted a 2,000 square metre prime plot to the BJP Lok Sabha MP for Rs. 1.75 lakh at a rate of Rs. 87.50 per square metre, for construction of a dance academy.
Earlier by Mr. Galgali had revealed that the actor was allotted the land at a rate of Rs. 35 per square metre (costing Rs 70,000) during an RTI plea filed. After the issue went in to a controversy in February this year, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a revision of the policy of allotting land to private trusts and artists.
By now Ms. Hema Malini, a famed Bharatnatyam dancer, has already paid Rs. 10 lakh as advance to the government,now Government would have to refund the outstanding Rs. 8.25 lakh to her, said Mr. Galgali.
“This would be a major embarrassment for the government,” he said. When contacted, Mumbai Suburban Collector Shekhar Channe said: “Yes, we would have to return money to her. However, the money would be returned only if the government orders us to do so.”
“The land having a market value of Rs. 70 crore has been given to Hema Maliniji for a paltry Rs. 1.75 lakh. The State government would have to return Rs. 8.25 lakh to her as she gave Rs. 10 lakh as advance in 1997,” he said.
Ms. Hema Malini has, in the past, refuted allegations of favouritism and land grabbing, saying she had struggled for 20 years to get the plot. “I am getting 2,000 square metre of land for a dance institute to be built by Natyavihar Kalakendra Charity Trust (headed by her). I will have to develop a garden (on a piece of land which is not part of the academy) and give it to the BMC,” she had earlier said.
