India, Nov. 8 -- The aborted bid by a company linked to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's son, Parth, to buy the 40-acre Mundhwa plot isn't the first attempt to gain control of the prime land in Pune. At least three previous revenue ministers had rejected proposals from other individuals to get the land transferred in their names.

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said such a proposal had been placed before him three times during his stint as revenue minister in 2013 and 2019-20. "The people registered as holders of the 'other rights' in the property card had approached me. I rejected their claim in 2013 as it was government land and they had no interest vested in them as owners, as they claimed. They moved the Bombay High Court against ...