Prominent BJP firebrand Kirit Somaiya has escalated his fight against the Mira-Bhayandar land grab scandal by directly appealing to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. In a detailed missive, he calls for an SIT to dismantle what he describes as a ‘web of corruption’ involving politicians, bureaucrats, and builders.
The controversy centers on dozens of land parcels in Mira-Bhayandar, where illegal encroachments and fraudulent transfers have allegedly siphoned off public assets. Somaiya alleges that over the past decade, influential lobbies manipulated records to convert agricultural and reservation lands into commercial plots, netting billions in illicit gains.
Drawing from RTI data and ground reports, Somaiya outlines how municipal approvals were expedited through backdoor payments. He names several projects where gaothan lands—meant for villagers—were usurped under the guise of development. ‘The poor have been cheated, and the rich have profited,’ he wrote, demanding a time-bound inquiry.
This isn’t Somaiya’s first rodeo; his exposés have previously toppled corrupt regimes. Now, with Fadnavis back at the helm, expectations are high for swift justice. The CM’s office has acknowledged the letter, but no official response yet.
Local BJP units have rallied behind Somaiya, organizing protests and awareness campaigns. Opposition parties, however, dismiss it as political theater ahead of polls. Meanwhile, affected landowners and homebuyers are hopeful that an SIT could recover lost properties and punish the guilty.
As Maharashtra grapples with urban sprawl, the Mira-Bhayandar episode underscores the need for robust land audit mechanisms. Somaiya concludes his letter with a stark warning: inaction would embolden land sharks across the state. The ball is now in Fadnavis’s court.