Apparantly, Bhonsle -- whose princely family had owned land in Satara, that was eventually taken over by the state government after Independence -- had applied to his own department once he became a minister and eventually had a Government Resolution issued that declared him the sole owner of land at Dhanicha Baag and Shukruwar Peth in Satara.

The directions staying the GR were given by Justice P S Patankar today when the bench was hearing a petition filed by Bhonsle's three uncles, Vijaysinhraje Bhonsle, Abhaysinhraje Bhonsle and Shivajiraje Bhonsle, who alleged that the decision was a misuse of power. They had also alleged that the land actually belongedto the entire family, that included the three uncles.

According to the GR, the government had released three pieces of sarangjam land in Satara city favoring Udayanraje Bhonsle. These were: survey nos 21, 22, 24 and 26 at Dhanicha Baag, in Satara city, admeasuring 5 hectares and 91 aras, another plot at Shukruwar Peth, Satara, Jal Mandir, survey nos 1, 2, 3, and 20 admeasuring 25,746.4 sq metres and survey no 54/A-1 admeasuring 67 aras. The GR had placed conditions that Bhonsle would maintain the Jal Mandir and Bhavani Mandir as well as two tanks there according to the collector's directions. In Dhanicha Baag, 7 acres and 12 gunthas will be given to the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha and no land will be given any NA permission for development without permission from the collector. Bhonsle would have to continue paying the charges to the government.

However, the uncles while arguing that Bhonsle had as minister in this case played both the litigant and the judge, also alleged that thestate government had according to the Bombay Sarangjam Land Rules 1952 made the entire family of Pratapsinhraje Bhonsle, father of Udayanraje, that included the three brothers, joint owners of all sarangjam land belonging to the family.