Woodland where Sholay was shot 35 years ago has been pledged to two banks for Rs 4 crore by developer who wants to create a resort there
Woodland where Sholay was shot 35 years ago has been pledged to two banks for Rs 4 crore by developer who wants to create a resort thereThe portion of woodland known to Hindi film buffs as Ramgadh is at the centre of a tug of war between Anantara Hospitality, a private company that wants to develop a Sholay-themed resort on the land, and the Forest Department which wants the stretch to be left alone.
What adds to the tangle is the fact that Anantara, which claims to have purchased the land for Rs 1.4 crore, has mortgaged the property to a bank for a loan of Rs 4 crore for developing its Sholay-themed 'Ramgadh' resort.
u00a0
|
| The hillock at Ramanagar thatu00a0 was shown as the den of dacoit Gabbar Singh in Sholay. |
Anantara maintains that they have done nothing wrong in doing so because they hold the title to the land purchased from private parties who in turn received the land as a grant from the state government in 1978.
The Forest Department, which is of the view that the state government had no right to grant forest land, plans to approach the High Court to get possession of the woodland.
NS Acharya, who calls himself a financial consultant of Anantara Hospitality, explained, "We have taken a loan from two banks after pledging the land.
u00a0
The money was needed for investment, but please don't ask more details. I will not name the banks."
Acharya is reported to be extremely close to Home Minister VS Acharya.
When the Forest Department had raised objections over development of the resort in forest limits, Acharya got the home minister to write a letter in support of Anantara.
u00a0
In the letter, the home minister urged Forest Department officials to cooperate with Anantara Hospitality. Forest officials said the mortgage did not affect them.
u00a0
"It is not our problem if Anantara has mortgaged the land to a bank.
It is entirely their lookout to find a solution. It does not prevent us from claiming the land. We are in the final stages of compiling our papers before we file a suit against the resort owners in the high court."
NB Viswanath, a government pleader, filing a suit on behalf of the Forest Department, said, "They have mortgaged the land at their own risk. We are moving the court with all the details as planned."
A legal expert informed MiD DAY that if the banks discovered that the mortgaged land was not owned by Anantara, they would demand alternative collateral.
G Ravishankar, managing director, Anantara Hospitality, said, "I am sure we are legally and technically correct. If the Forest Department wants to move court, we are ready to fight back.
Our dealings with banks are a personal issue. I don't think we are answerable to anyone."
