Anil Parab and Kirit Somaiya (R) (File Photo)BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday urged the police department to provide security to Vibhas Sathe, who had sold his land to Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab in 2017.
Sathe had sold the sea-facing plot in Dhapoli to Parab, who is now the state transport minister, for Rs 1 crore. Later, Parab built a resort on the land which has recently been a subject of controversy following the BJPs allegations of forgery, cheating and violation of rules.
“I have requested the DG of police to provide adequate security to Sathe. We don’t want Sathe to land in trouble. He is facing a threat to his life. In the past, we have seen how those in power are capable of misusing their authorities to harass anybody,” Somaiya said.
The BJP leader who had demanded Parab’s arrest, said, “Sathe sold his Dhapoli land to Parab. It was an agricultural plot. But Parab later forged documents to get it converted to non-agriculture land. All coastal regulation rules, which disallow constructions along the seashore, were disregarded to build the resort.”
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“Sathe has maintained that the land he owned was agricultural land and that he had never changed its status, which means all land-use changes and permission for building resorts were done under Parab,” Somaiya said, seeking Parab’s arrest. The home department and DG must ensure Sathe’s safety, he added.
Earlier, Sathe’s residence and commercial property in Pune were raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Sathe was under the ED scanner ever since his name featured in the land deal with the Sena minister.
However, Parab has repeatedly denied the BJP charges as baseless and has maintained that he has not done anything wrong or forged documents.
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