PUNE: Amid ongoing controversy surrounding the sale of a prominent property owned by a Jain trust in Pune, the involved private builder has formally requested the cancellation of the deal.
On Sunday, Vishal Gokhale, a partner at Gokhale Landmarks LLP, sent an email to the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, notifying the trustees of his intention to withdraw from the transaction and request the cancellation of the sale deed.
In his message, he pointed to “numerous false and misleading rumors” circulating publicly that raised questions about the legitimacy of the deal and suggested improper motives.
Opponents of the property deal took to social media, sharing screenshots of Gokhale’s email.
Located in Model Colony, the upscale property spans around 12,000 square meters (3.5 acres) and contains a long-established Jain boarding facility as well as the Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Digambar Jain Temple—all managed by the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, a charitable organization founded in 1958.
The property was previously sold to Pune-based Gokhale Constructions for Rs 311 crore. However, students, alumni, religious leaders, and community figures have vehemently opposed the sale, labeling it “illegal” and asserting that the trust’s constitution prohibits such transactions.
On Monday, members of the Opposition parties, NCP (SP) and Congress, protested outside the Charity Commissioner’s Office in Pune, demanding the cancellation of the sale.
In his email to the trust, Gokhale stated, “Despite adhering to the guidelines set forth by the Charity Commissioner on April 4, 2025, numerous false and misleading rumors have emerged, suggesting irregularities in the transaction and attributing entirely untrue motives.”
The name of Pune Lok Sabha member Murlidhar Mohol was also allegedly connected to the deal, as he had been a partner in Gokhale Constructions. However, Mohol clarified that he withdrew from the partnership well before the deal was finalized.
Gokhale expressed that the “baseless accusations” have severely impacted his professional reputation and that of his firm, fostering unnecessary social unrest within parts of the Jain community.
He emphasized that the transaction was carried out through a transparent tender process but indicated that increasing religious, social, and political interference had led him to reconsider his involvement.
While he believed that redeveloping the property would have been beneficial to the trust and its students without affecting the temple, Gokhale lamented that the situation had been “unnecessarily politicized,” causing distress to many well-meaning individuals.
“Out of moral obligation and respect for the Jain community’s sentiments, I no longer wish to proceed with this transaction or the construction of the hostel. It would not be fitting or ethical for me to continue with a project that could be perceived as detrimental to the faith or emotions of any segment of society,” he wrote.
Gokhale requested the trust to annul the deal and refund the Rs 230 crore that had already been paid.
The Gokhale Constructions and the trust members are available for comment on the situation.
