When Hema Malini Got Rs 70 Crore Worth Land for Rs 1.75 Lakh: Controversy Resurfaces (image-X/dreamgirlhema)

Veteran Bollywood actress and Lok Sabha MP, Hema Malini, finds herself embroiled in controversy once again as 2016 news regarding the allotment of prime land for a dance academy in Mumbai’s Oshiwara area has resurfaced. Documents obtained through an RTI query by activist Anil Galgali highlighted the government’s decision to allocate a 2,000-square-metre plot to Malini at a mere fraction of its market value.

According to the 2016 documents, Malini secured the land for a nominal sum of Rs 1.75 lakh, equivalent to a rate of Rs 87.5 per square metre, under a revised policy of the Maharashtra government. This revised allotment came after an earlier RTI plea exposed the initial allocation at an even lower rate of Rs 35 per square metre (costing 70,000).

As per an Indian Express report, Malini, a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, had paid an advance of Rs 10 lakh towards the acquisition of the land. With the revised allotment, Galgali asserts that the government is obligated to refund Malini the amount of Rs. 8.25 lakh, potentially leading to embarrassment for the authorities involved.

Mumbai Suburban Collector Shekhar Channe had confirmed the need for refunding the excess amount but clarified that such action would only proceed upon government directive.

The land, originally designated for a garden, was allotted to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP based on valuations dating back to February 1, 1976, at a rate determined to be 25 percent of the prevailing value.

Malini, however, has defended the allotment, refuting allegations of favoritism and land grabbing. The BJP MP maintains that she had pursued the acquisition for over two decades and asserts her intention to develop a garden on an additional piece of land for the benefit of the community.

In October 2016, the government informed the Bombay High Court that Malini was no longer interested in the plot, following which the court disposed of a petition challenging the allotment. However, in 2019, based on the four letters received from the Mumbai Collector’s office through a RTI query, the state collector never received any communication from Malini claiming her disinterest in the land, as stated in a Hindustan Times report. Moreover, the BJP MP never sent any letters to the state revenue department, which located her the land originally. The land continues to be allotted to the actor-turned-politician.

With the Lok Sabha elections looming over, the resurgence of this controversy reignites debates surrounding transparency in land allocation.