In a twist worthy of a royal-era thriller, a driver working for Shiv Sena MP Sandipan Bhumre and his MLA son has become the sudden owner of land valued at a staggering ₹150 crores, courtesy of a gift from the descendants of the Hyderabad Nizam’s Diwans.
The three-acre prime land in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar was transferred via a Hibanama (gift deed) to Jawed Rasul Shaikh, who has been a driver with the Bhumre family for over thirteen years. Boards put up on the land now display Shaikh as the new owner.
The Economic Offences Wing stepped in after Advocate Mujahid Khan lodged a complaint questioning why the heirs of the Salar Jung family — who fought a long legal battle to reclaim the land only last year — would give away such valuable property to a non-family member.
“Why, after so many years of court fights, would they gift prime land to their driver’s friend?” Khan’s complaint asked, raising suspicion of a deeper conspiracy.
Shaikh, for his part, maintained that the descendants of the once-powerful royal administrators gifted him the land because of their close personal relationship.
Police officials have summoned the concerned Salar Jung family members who signed the gift deed. MLA Vilas Bhumre confirmed that police had asked him how long Shaikh had been in their employment but distanced himself from further details.
