Sena’s stir over Peshwa ruins boomerangs

He said that in 1915, it was bought by Nausermanji Jamshedji Balsara, who sold it to Bibi Sheikh Khatib in 1946.

Gaikwad said that he had bought the land from Bibi Khatib in April 1989, and had even obtained a `no objection certificate’ (NOC) from the Archaeological Survey of India.

Kute further pointed out that since July 1997, he noticed some encroachments on the land and issued notices for their eviction, after which Gaikwad held meetings of Anandvalli villagers and encroachers, demanding that the land be acquired by the government and the ruins be protected by declaring the spot as a protected structure.

He said that Sarang Hotels held the legal title of the land and there was no question of land-grabbing.

Srihari Kute accused Gaikwad of encouraging encroachments on the land and pointed out that there were about 25 illegal structures built under the latter’s tutelage.

It may be recalled that Suresh Kisan Gaikwad and the local Shiv Sena leaders had held meetings on Saturday last, and a group of people had forcibly removed the barbed wire fence and signboards erected by Sarang Hotels around the Peshwa ruins.

The ruins of a residence of Anandibai (wife of Raghobadada, uncle of Peshwa Madhavrao) are situated on a hillock near Anandvalli, about eight kilometre from Nashik.

The area is located in ward No 26 of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), represented by Suresh Gaikwad.

Officials of the Archaeology department pointed out that the ruins were on private land and had not been declared as monument.