Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging irregularities in the acquisition of land for the new Maharashtra BJP headquarters in Mumbai. The letter comes just a day before Shah’s scheduled participation in the bhoomi pujan (groundbreaking ceremony) of the party’s new state office. Raut has claimed that the land transfer was executed with “lightning speed” and involved questionable transactions that warrant immediate scrutiny.
In his letter, Raut alleged that the plot in question originally belonged to a private family that had mortgaged a portion of it to multiple banks without due authorization. He claimed that despite these encumbrances, the land was quickly cleared and transferred to the BJP through a series of unusually fast-tracked approvals. “Today, as you are going to perform the bhoomi pujan of the BJP office, I am presenting before you the information about the secret that lies beneath that land,” Raut wrote, adding that the manner in which the transfer was completed raises serious doubts about its legality and transparency.
According to the details shared in Raut’s letter, around 1,377.79 square meters of land were originally leased to the Vasani family (holding 46%) and the Maharashtra State Co-operative Finance Corporation Limited (holding 54%) for 99 years, starting from February 11, 1902, and ending on February 12, 2001. After the lease period expired, the ownership and transfer rights of the property became subject to government approval and regulatory oversight.
Raut outlined a detailed timeline of the alleged transaction, suggesting that approvals and corrections were granted in record time. On April 1, 2025, construction company Eknath Realtors reportedly applied to buy 46% of the land. The application was approved within three days, on April 4. Shortly after, the remaining 54%—previously mortgaged—was also acquired, and a request to transfer the full plot to the BJP’s name was filed. The correction application was allegedly approved on May 22, followed by the final property transfer on May 31, with the BJP reportedly paying a transfer fee of ₹8.11 crore.
Raut questioned the legitimacy of such a rapid bureaucratic process, calling it “unprecedented” and “politically influenced.” He said that land transactions involving multiple ownerships, mortgages, and lease expirations typically take months or even years to clear, but in this case, the process was completed within weeks. He accused the state machinery of bending regulations to facilitate the BJP’s interests and claimed that the files related to the transaction were processed “with the speed of Rafale jets.”
In a pointed remark, Raut said, “The land for the office you are inaugurating was acquired by bending the rules… and many files were fast-tracked with the speed of Rafale and the decisions were taken at jet speed.” He concluded his letter with a note of sarcasm, stating, “May such good fortune come to the public as well!” suggesting that ordinary citizens rarely experience such administrative efficiency.
The BJP has not yet issued an official response to Raut’s allegations. However, political observers note that his claims are likely to intensify tensions between the ruling BJP and the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming state elections. The controversy also adds a new dimension to the ongoing rivalry between the two parties, which have frequently clashed over corruption allegations, infrastructure projects, and control over Mumbai’s political landscape.
