Pune
News: Prime property admeasuring
48,000 sq ft (1.5 acres) in an
upmarket part of the city made popular
by the name of the National Institute
of Bank Management is at the centre of
an ugly dispute between the institute
itself and city-based businessman Ali
Daruwala. Considered
a
virtual jungle till a few years ago,
the NIBM land that is under dispute is
now valued at around Rs 10 crore. The
NIBM is located on a huge spread of
over 60 acres of land, on a 99-year
lease.
It has
been only three days since a
100-strong mob pulled down the
institute walls using a bulldozer and
the city police seem to have come to
the conclusion that the premier bank
institution is at fault, saying it is
NIBM that encroached on land owned by
Daruwala family. The basis of this
conclusion by the police is that NIBM
has been unable to produce relevant
documents on property ownership unlike
the local businessman, who runs a city
petrol pump and is the spokesperson
for Pune Petroleum Dealers’
Association.
Assistant Commissioner of police (Wanavdi
Division) Ramesh Biwal told Newsline,
“Immediately after the incident, we
had asked both parties to show their
bonafide property documents to us.
Daruwala came to us and showed the
relevant documents, which show that he
is the legal owner of the property
whereas none from the NIBM has come to
us. The institute officials informed
us that all relevant documents were
with the Reserve Bank of India. We
have asked Daruwala to go to the court
and get the
encroachment vacated from his land and
will not permit him to take law into
his hands.”
NIBM director Ashish Saha had another
take on the matter though. “I have
land ownership proof which will be
produced in the court. Why should I go
to the police? Daruwala is taking law
into his hands. This is complete
goondaism. The incident will put the
government in a major international
embarrassment as the institute has
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
money invested in it. All I expect is
the police to restore the status quo
as on April 20,” Saha said.
Daruwala reiterated that the disputed
property belonged to his family and
the NIBM had encroached on his land.
“The property in survey number 22/2B
in the name of Daruwala family and in
our possession. We have furnished all
the relevant property documents before
the authorities. NIBM has encroached
on our land and wants to grab the
entire piece of land. The 7/12
extract, property card index, PMC tax
receipt, ULC order are all in the name
of my family.”
Saha is skeptical as to why a dispute
on land ownership has surfaced a good
28 years after the institute was set
up. “What was Daruwala doing all these
years as the NIBM was set up in 1979.
It seems that he has suddenly woken up
and started claiming ownership of our
land and this is illegal. Let him get
the court to decide on the matter,’’
Saha said.
Nearly 100 men armed with pickaxes
allegedly bulldozed their way inside
the NIBM campus in Kondhwa around 6.30
pm on Saturday, broke the wall and
erected a barbed wire fence before
police could intervene in the matter.
