PUNE: Maharashtra’s Charity Commissioner, Amogh Kaloti, has ordered a ‘status quo’ on the sale of a significant property in Pune’s Model Colony that currently houses a longstanding Jain boarding facility and the Mahavir Digambar Jain Temple. This decision comes amidst opposition from various factions within the Jain community, who have protested and sought legal intervention to halt the transaction.
The prestigious 12,000 square metre property (3.5 acres), owned by the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, which has been in operation since 1958, was sold to Gokhale Constructions for ₹311 crore.
Advocate Yogesh Pandey, representing the petitioning group, argued, “The HND Jain Boarding was founded to offer education and housing to students. Redeveloping or selling the property contradicts its original charitable mission and breaches charity law. It’s imperative to maintain the current state to protect student rights.”
“We sought a status quo to uphold the institution’s original charitable intent. Commissioner Kaloti has mandated that no transactions, sales, construction, or transfers regarding the property occur until further notice. The property’s current state must be preserved,” he added. The Charity Commissioner has also requested a comprehensive report on the situation.
The Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust has denied any wrongdoing and asserts that all legal protocols were adhered to during the sale process.
