Gujarat CM Anadiben Patel's daughter under scanner for alleged land deal near Gir sanctuary

Wildwoods Resorts and Realties, a company run by business associates of Anar Jayesh Patel, owns 400 acres of land in Gujarat's Amreli district.

File image of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel

Ahmedabad: In what could dent the image of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat, a report on Friday put a spotlight on Anar Jayesh Patel, the daughter of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, over an alleged land deal.

According to The Economic Times, a company run by business associates of Anar, the daughter of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, owns 400 acres – 250 acres of which was allotted to the company at an official rate of Rs 15 per square metre – of land in Amreli district, next to the lion sanctuary at Gir.

Documents with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) show various transactions between Anar and the promoters of Wildwoods Resorts and Realties in 2010-11 when the Gujarat government allotted 250 acres of public land in 2010-11 to Wildwoods.

Moreover, the government not only permitted Wildwoods to buy a further 172 acres of agricultural land but also let land use from agricultural to non-agricultural.

Notably, Anandiben Patel was the Gujarat revenue minister at that time.

The daughter of the Gujarat Chief Minister has co founded Gramshree and Manav Sadhna, NGOs that works for artisans and women.

The current promoters of Wildwoods - Dakshesh Shah and Amol Shripal Sheth - are business partners of Anar Patel.

According to The Hindu, Anandiben is facing flak over her children’s alleged interference in governance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly asked his successor and protégé to “dispel the perception” and “rectify her image”, the daily quoted a top source close to the Gujarat CM as saying.

Ever since the 73-year-old Anandiben Patel took over as the Gujarat Chief Minister in May 2014, an impression has gained ground that her two children - Anar and Shwetank (Sanjay) - wield influence in the government.

(With Agency inputs)