Temple trust alleges illegal sale of land to Rane’s wife

The petitioner,Shri-Kshetra Mahabaleshwar Devasthan Trust manages several temple properties in and around Mahabaleshwar,a popular hill station in western Maharashtra.

The petition claims that the land in question — survey number 109 — was “Inam Land” (land granted to temple by a local ruler),and was in the trust’s possession from the days of King Shivaji.

However,last year,the trust came to know that in the ‘record of rights’,a mutation entry was effected on June 9 2008,showing that this land,measuring around two acres was now in the name of Mahesh B Panchal,a resident of Vasai near Mumbai.

Further,the entry showed that out of this,half an acre land (18 R) had been sold by Panchal to Nilima Rane.

According to advocate Nitin Jamdar,petitioner’s lawyer,the change in the land record came about without any notice to the Trust.