Mumbai: PIL against Patanjali's Nagpur land deal filed in Bombay HC

Trouble mounts for Baba Ramdev's Patanjali company in Maharashtra. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam has filed a PIL against land given to Patanjali by state government. Nirupam alleges that the land was given to Patanjali at very low rate. So far, Patanjali has got 230 acres land in Nagpur's Mihan project to start a food processing unit and they are likely get total 600 acres of land at the same rate.

The main prayer of Nirupam in Bombay HC is that it should order detail probe in this land deal and immediately put stay order on this deal. Nirupam alleges that state govt though saying that they followed tendering process thrice, but twice it got cancelled when other bidders along with Patanjali applied. But third time, when there was only one bidding company Patanjali, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) approved their bid.

"CM is head of MADC and we feel that to favour Baba Ramdev, who is a staunch BJP supporter, land was given at throw away price to him. CM should be held responsible for this," said Sanjay Nirupam.

Nirupam alleges that the cost of that land in Nagpur as per ready reckoner rate is Rs 1 crore per acre, but Patanjali got this land for Rs 25 lakh per acre. This land was allotted to Patanjali in Aug 2016.

Nirupam in his PIL claims that Fadnavis govt has violated the rules of forest land as land near Nagpur airport comes under forest department.

Responding to the query over phone about this land deal, S K Tijariwala spokesperson said, "We will file our appropriate reply in court, but I can tell you no irregularity has been done in this deal."

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