BJP accuses Maharashtra CM of giving away land worth crores to builder - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan of giving away Pune's 'Watan' land costing Rs 1,250 crore to builder Jayant Shah for just Rs 3,808. In a debate inside the state legislative assembly on Revenue Department's budgetary demands, BJP legislator Devendra Phadanvis said, Chavan allotted the land to the builder when he was the Maharashtra Revenue Minister in 2002. Phadanvis later asked the current Revenue Minister Narayan Rane to call off the order given by Chavan in January 2002. Rana, however, said, the verdict was made in tune with the quasi-judicial authority. Chavan portrayed the charges as baseless, asserting that the blame was put on him without gathering the correct information. The chief minister said he had allotted the land to the original 'Watandar' as per the quasi-judicial authority, adding that only open land was given, which was clearly stated in the order. Chavan, however, said the concerned department would probe the matter and an apt action would be taken in this regard.