Pay 3 cr or lose house -- Govt tells Shah Rukh

Pay 3 cr or lose house -- Govt tells Shah Rukh
PRAFULLA MARPAKWAR

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 26: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan finds himself in a piquant situation over his multi-crore bungalow at Bandra following a notice served by Mumbai Suburban District Collector C S Sangitrao on the actor as well as the earlier owner of the structure for the recovery of Rs 3 crore towards revenue dues.

In a legal notice under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, Sangitrao has asked Shah Rukh Khan as well as the original land owner, Subhash Dubash, to pay Rs 3 crore towards revenue dues by March 1, failing which, the notice says, the property would be attached as per provisions of the law.

After reports had appeared in a section of the media that Shah Rukh Khan has purchased the bungalow from Dubhash for Rs 6 crore, Sangitrao had initiated a departmental probe into the deal since the structure was constructed on revenue land.

Under the provisions of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, in a sale of property involving government land, it is legally binding on the buyer as well as the purchaser to pay 50 per cent of the cost of the property to the revenue department.

‘‘As per the media report, the price of the bungalow was quoted at Rs 6 crore. Therefore, we served a notice for recovery of Rs 3 crore. If they fail to pay the dues by March 1, we will attach the entire property after a a 48-hour notice,’’ Sangitrao told The Indian Express.

Sangitrao said the action was not unilateral. Due opportunity was given to Shah Rukh Khan as well as Dubhash but there was no response from them, he said. Immediately after the media reports were brought to his notice, the Collector had served a legal notice on Shah Rukh Khan as well as Dubhash. ‘‘So far from December 1999, we have served three notices on Shah Rukh Khan and Dubhash and we have acknowledgement for the same,’’ he said.

Shah Rukh Khan declined to appear before the Collector on the grounds that he was busy and that there were security problems involved in reaching the Collector’s office, while Dubhash had deputed his attorney, B P Shah, to handle the case.

‘‘During the hearing, B P Shah was reluctant to speak. On occasions, he stated that Shah Rukh Khan was a tenant and that the bungalow has not been sold to him. When I asked him to submit the copy of agreement he had with Shah Rukh Khan, he promised to submit it in a couple of days. After that there was no response from Shah Rukh,’’ Sangeetrao said.

As per official records, Sangitrao said, Dubhash was in possession of 3,000 square metres of revenue land on lease at Bandra. From media reports, it appears he has sold it, along with the bungalow on it, to Shahrukh Khan for Rs 6 crore. ‘‘Our notice is very clear. If the price is Rs 6 crore, it is binding on them to pay Rs 3 crore to the government towards the revenue dues,’’ Sangitrao added.Along with Shah Rukh Khan, Sangitrao has served notices on a record number of 40 individuals as well as organisations for recovery of Rs 40 crore. ‘‘As part of our drive for recovery of revenue, we have served notice on them. Some of them have paid while some have sought time for the same,’’ he added.