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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Multi-Crore ‘Land Jihad’ unearthed

Lawyer reclaims grabbed properties, exposes administrative lapses Advocate Sanjeev Deshpande Mumbai: In Bhusaval, a glaring example of what is being termed ‘Land Jihad’ has recently been brought to light, exposing a systematic grab of prime real estate worth hundreds of crores. At the center of this revelation is a hard-fought legal victory that successfully vacated ill-intentioned occupants from a plush property, prompting urgent calls for the administration to remain vigilant against...

Multi-Crore ‘Land Jihad’ unearthed

Lawyer reclaims grabbed properties, exposes administrative lapses Advocate Sanjeev Deshpande Mumbai: In Bhusaval, a glaring example of what is being termed ‘Land Jihad’ has recently been brought to light, exposing a systematic grab of prime real estate worth hundreds of crores. At the center of this revelation is a hard-fought legal victory that successfully vacated ill-intentioned occupants from a plush property, prompting urgent calls for the administration to remain vigilant against fraudulent land acquisitions. The catalyst for uncovering this massive scam was a protracted legal battle fought by the Central Cine Circuit Association (CCCA), an organisation comprising over 800 film distributors across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Seeking a headquarters and guest house for their traveling members, the CCCA purchased a sprawling 5,000-square-foot bungalow in a prime locality in Bhusaval from a senior Parsi individual residing in Mumbai. Although the sale deed was executed in 1993, the notice of ownership change inexplicably failed to reach or was ignored by the local city survey office. This administrative blind spot lay dormant until 2024, when the family of one Afzal Kalu Gawali forcibly entered the premises and took illegal possession of the property. Physical Muscle Lacking the physical muscle to evict the encroachers, the CCCA was forced into an agonising two-year legal marathon spearheaded by Advocate Sanjeev Deshpande. The fight demanded navigating a labyrinth of government offices, from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Bhusaval Sessions Court to the revenue tribunal, the High Court, and even Mantralaya. The process involved digging through decades-old records, exposing forged documents, and pleading with officials to rectify the injustice. The persistence finally paid off when the SDM ruled in favor of the CCCA on April 9, 2026. When the illegal occupants still refused to leave, police intervention was secured to forcibly vacate the premises, allowing CCCA employees to finally re-enter their headquarters on April 16 after a gap of nearly two years, said Sanjay Surana, president of CCCA. Fight Continues For Deshpande, the fight is far from over. During his exhaustive hunt for documents, he uncovered a deeply disturbing and systematic pattern of land grabbing operating in the region. The conmen utilised a calculated modus operandi. They tactfully acquired a power of attorney from the descendants of the original Parsi owners and forged purchase documents. Shockingly, the paperwork claimed that the CCCA bungalow, currently valued at around Rs 5 crore, was purchased by daily wage earners for a mere Rs 6 lakh. Deshpande discovered that this same syndicate had successfully encroached upon other highly valuable plots, including a six-acre cemetery (Aramgah) belonging to the Parsi Anjuman Fund and a significant parcel of land owned by the Masonic Lodge, an international religious institute. In total, the collective value of these illegally grabbed properties is estimated to easily surpass Rs 300 crore. The Masonic Lodge property is back to rightful owners after a battle at the High Court. But, for the Aramgah property, still much needs to be done, he said. This staggering real estate heist points to a severe breakdown in administrative oversight. Deshpande strongly emphasises that if the office of the Sub-Registrar at Bhusaval had conducted even a preliminary inquiry or verified the glaringly disproportionate financial details of these transactions, the fraudulent nature of the sales would have been immediately apparent.

Asian markets crash as Donald Trump’s tariff war sparks global selloff



Asian stock markets tumbled Monday as U.S. futures forecast sharp losses on Wall Street, sparked by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. While several nations scrambled to seek compromise, Trump showed little sign of backing down.


Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump denied deliberately triggering the market slump, asserting he couldn’t predict market movements and would not strike any trade deals unless America’s deficits were addressed.


“Sometimes medicine is necessary,” he said, referring to the staggering losses—measured in trillions—U.S. companies have suffered since his tariff campaign began.


Over the weekend, Trump claimed that numerous world leaders had approached him, eager to negotiate. “They’re dying to make a deal,” he insisted.


Following last week's close of Asian trading, China announced retaliatory tariffs of 34% on all U.S. imports, to take effect April 10. The news hit markets hard when trading resumed Monday.


The Nikkei 225 in Japan dropped a staggering 6.5%, Taiwan’s index plunged nearly 10%, and Singapore’s was down 8.5% early Monday.


On Wall Street, futures contracts for key U.S. indices pointed sharply downward Sunday night. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil prices dipped below $60 per barrel—a level not seen since April 2021.


Allies Caught in the Crossfire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country faces 17% tariffs despite close ties with Washington, is flying to the U.S. for high-stakes talks with Trump.


British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote in a weekend op-ed that the old global order had collapsed. “The world as we knew it has gone,” he warned, emphasizing that new relationships would now depend on strategic “deals and alliances.”


Trump’s staggered tariff deadlines have allowed limited time for countries to negotiate exemptions. However, the president has maintained a firm stance, warning against retaliation.


White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told ABC’s This Week that more than 50 nations had reached out to initiate negotiations, citing data from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.


Vietnam, one of the U.S.'s largest export partners in the first quarter, has formally requested a 45-day delay on the recently announced 46% tariffs.

“These countries know they’re absorbing much of the tariff impact,” Hassett explained, arguing the duties wouldn’t result in significant price hikes for American consumers. “I don’t think you’ll see a major effect on the U.S. consumer,” he added.


Market Carnage Continues

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed the figure of 50 nations reaching out, but made clear Trump holds the final decision.


“At this point, he has maximum leverage,” Bessent said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “It depends what these countries bring to the table—and whether it’s credible.”


He also pointed out that many countries had acted unfairly for years, and resolving such issues wouldn’t happen “in days or weeks.”


Despite hopes for last-minute talks, markets across Asia continued to suffer. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange fell 6.78%, marking its worst single-day loss since the COVID-19 crisis.


Former Obama-era economic advisor Larry Summers warned of continued turbulence. “There’s a strong chance we’ll see more market volatility like we did on Thursday and Friday,” he said.


Still, Peter Navarro, Trump’s key trade advisor, urged investors to stay calm. “You can’t lose money unless you sell,” he said, predicting the market would soon deliver “the biggest boom we’ve ever seen.”


Russia Left Out

Notably, Russia was excluded from the latest round of U.S. tariffs. Hassett explained that ongoing discussions over the Ukraine conflict played a role in its exemption. A White House official added Wednesday that trade with Russia was already minimal due to sanctions.


Trump has long argued that America has been exploited by trading partners and views tariffs as a tool to level the playing field.


“Someday people will realize that tariffs, for the United States of America, are a very beautiful thing!” he wrote Sunday on Truth Social.


Still, many economists caution that tariffs often burden consumers through higher prices, and warn that the long-term impact may hit Americans harder than expected.

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