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As trust agrees to cancel sale of Jain hostel & temple, Charity Commissioner extends status quo

Pune MP Muralidhar Mohol has also come under fire for his alleged connections to Gokhale Construction. Mohol has said he parted ways with the company over 11 months ago

The sale of the property containing a Jain boarding hostel and a Mahavir Digambar Jain Temple has come under fire in the past few weeks (File Photo)

The Charity Commissioner of Maharashtra on Tuesday ordered an extension of status quo till October 30 in the controversial sale of the Seth HND Jain Boarding Hostel by Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust to Gokhale Constructions, to allow respondents to file replies. The court had earlier ordered a status quo on October 20. Meanwhile, both the trust and the construction company have agreed to cancel the sale of the property after prolonged controversy.

The sale of the property containing a Jain boarding hostel and a Mahavir Digambar Jain Temple has come under fire in the past few weeks. Pune MP Muralidhar Mohol has also come under fire for his alleged connections to Gokhale Construction. Mohol has said he parted ways with the company over 11 months ago.

Advocate Yogesh Pande, representing petitioner Sukaushal Jinturkar, told The Indian Express, “In today’s hearing there were no arguments on legal points but just generalised arguments, since both the parties have agreed to withdraw from the sale. The extension has been given because the counsel for Gokhale said they wanted to file a reply since there are allegations. Now it will be decided on October 30.”

Agreeing with Gokhale Construction’s decision to cancel the sale, the trustees of the trust, in an application filed before the Charity Commissioner, said, “The Trustees reaffirmed that the transaction had been carried out transparently, after following the due process of law, and with the sole objective of redevelopment of the ageing hostel premises and optimum utilisation of the asset and the funds in furtherance of objectives of the Trust.”

“Neverheless, keeping in view the circumstances and the larger interest of maintaining communal harmony, transparency, and public confidence, and the desire to protect the long standing reputation of the Trust, the Trustees resolved unanimously to accept the Purchaser’s proposal for cancellation of the Sale,” the application continued.

Gokhale Construction in a statement late on Sunday said that it was opting to cancel the deal in view of the controversy. Chairman Vishal Gokhale in a statement said, “The temple present there is sacred to us as well and we respect the sentiments of the Jain brothers regarding the temple. Therefore, respecting the sentiments of the Jain community and the hostel building, we have decided to exit this project. Accordingly, we have sent a letter to the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Digambar Jain Boarding Trust via email requesting that legal proceedings be initiated to cancel the said transaction.”

In response to this development, state Youth Congress general secretary Akshay Jain, who has led the protest against the sale, said, “We started this fight on May 14 with just 10 alumni. For the first three months, no one was with us. People did not believe us, but as the documents started coming out, people of all faiths started coming along. And today, thanks to the strength of the media, all those who were with us, this fight has reached its final stage.”

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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