Sonali Bendre, husband accused of fraud in land deal
What's the story
Actor Sonali Bendre and her husband, filmmaker and entrepreneur Goldie Behl, have been accused of fraud and violation of regulations in a land deal involving around 30 gunthas (approximately 32,000 square feet) of land in Maval, Pune. Local farmer Chandrakant Shinde alleges that his family has held ancestral rights to the disputed land since 1957 and that its acquisition by Behl was illegal. However, Bendre has denied these allegations.
Actor's response
Allegations leveled to extort money: Bendre's statement
According to NDTV, Bendre and her legal team have refuted the allegations, stating that her name does not appear in any government documents or land sale-purchase papers. "These allegations are entirely baseless and have been leveled solely with the motive of extorting money," she said. The farmer has filed a petition regarding this matter in the Civil Court of Vadgaon Maval.
Dispute details
Illegal construction attempt and threats
Shinde alleges that an attempt was made to carry out illegal construction on the disputed land and that his family was threatened. A formal complaint was made to the police, but as the dispute was of a civil nature, the courts were subsequently approached. The farmer has requested a stay order on this land from the court.
Legal proceedings
Farmer's previous appeals and court dismissals
According to Bendre's lawyer, Raju Shinde, the farmer had previously filed multiple appeals with government departments - specifically the Tehsildar and the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) - all of which were dismissed by the courts. Shinde has named Bendre, Behl, and two other individuals as parties in this matter. The court posted April 20 as the next date of hearing.