Jalgaon: In a startling development, the family of former President of India Pratibha Patil on Saturday levelled serious allegations against Maharashtra Minister Jaykumar Rawal, accusing him and his associates of illegally seizing their ancestral land in Shirpur taluka of Dhule district.
Speaking to reporters, Pratibha Patil’s brother and nephew claimed that despite a court ruling in their favour, BJP Minister Jaykumar Rawal continues to occupy the land using political influence and intimidation.
The longstanding property dispute between the two families involves 33 acres of farmland jointly owned by the former President and her brothers.
The Patil family stated that Rawal had previously filed a legal claim over the property, but the court had ruled against him, affirming the Patils’ ownership. However, they allege that Rawal and his supporters have refused to vacate the land, defying the court’s decision.
“When we went to take possession of our land as per the court order, we were driven away by people loyal to Jaykumar Rawal,” said Uday Patil, the former President’s nephew.
“Despite the legal verdict, he continues to harass us with the help of local goons.”
He further alleged that Rawal, a prominent BJP leader and sitting MLA from Sindkheda, is misusing his ministerial power to suppress their rightful claim.
“He was cultivating the land illegally. Now that we’ve won the case, they are refusing to hand it over. They’ve even sent criminals to threaten us,” Uday Patil added.
He further added, “The police are completely supporting him. When we reported the matter, they took no action. If this can happen to the family of a former President, what hope does a common citizen have?”
The Patil family is demanding immediate intervention by higher authorities to enforce the court order and restore legal possession of the land.
As of now, Minister Jaykumar Rawal has not responded to the allegations made by the former President’s family.
