Mukesh Ambani house row: Maharashtra Wakf Board CEO transferred

MUMBAI: Maharashtra State Wakf Board CEO A R Shaikh, who filed a Special Leave Petition (SPL) in the Supreme Court for restoration of a plot where Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani is building his dream mansion, has been transferred back to Rural Development department.

"I received the transfer order on May 3. I will soon report to my parent department", Shaikh said.

However, he declined to comment on reports that he was shunted out of the Wakf Board for filing the SPL in apex court, seeking restoration of the plot to the Board.

But the timing of the transfer, a day after the Supreme Court heard the SPL, has led to speculation that Shaikh had been punished for being too pro-active in proceeding against Ambani.

Shaikh joined the Board on November 3, 2006 as its CEO on deputation from Washim in Vidarbha where he was with the rural development department. Normally, a deputation is for three years but in his case it lasted for one and a half years.

Ambani's firm Antilia Commercial Private Limited had acquired 4,532 sq metres of land at Altamount Road in south Mumbai six years ago from Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Orphanage in a public auction for over Rs 21 crore.

Terming the land deal illegal, the government had asked the Board in July last year to take possession of the plot.

Accordingly, Shaikh issued notice to Antilia for initiating proceedings under Section 52 of the Wakf Act, asking them to restore Wakf property to the Board. Sheikh had opposed the Board's move to transfer 4,532 sq m plot to Antilia.

A senior official in Revenue and Forest department said there was a petition in the High Court challenging Shaikh's appointment as CEO of the Wakf Board and after examining the issue it was decided to transfer him. "His transfer has nothing to do with the Ambani plot deal", he added.