HC restrains Romesh Sharma
Tribune News Service and agencies

NEW DELHI, Dec 9 — The Delhi High Court has restrained Dawood Ibrahim’s alleged frontman, Romesh Sharma, from parting with, alienating, transferring and conveying his palatial Mayfair Gardens House and land to a third party following a suit by a person claiming title over it.

Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari, while granting stay on any form of transaction of the property by Sharma yesterday after a suit was filed by Lachmandas Naraindas Jivnani, issued notice to Sharma and asked him file a reply.

Jivnani, in his plaint, claimed that he was the real owner of the property as the land was allotted to him by the Delhi Administration on July 25, 1970 vide a perpetual sub-lease.

The plaint alleged that Sharma was in 'illegal occupation' of the 400 sq yards premises and house no. C-30 at Mayfair Gardens.

The house was constructed by him after registration of sub-lease with New Delhi area sub-registrar as member of the Cosmopolitan Co-operative Housing Society, Jivnani claimed.

'Defendant (Sharma) is relying on forged and fabricated documents to claim rights over the premises. Further, the documents relied upon by the defendant are unregistered, not properly stamped and executed,' the plaint said.

Apprehending attempts to alienate the property to third party by Sharma, Jivnani had sought stay on any form of transaction till the suit was decided by the court.

Jivnani, a Mumbai-based businessman, said he apprehended that Sharma might 'manipulate documents' to show fictitious transfer of the property through his agents.

Sharma, facing 16 cases under various Acts, including grabbing of properties, is at present under judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail.

"The apprehension of the plaintiff is real and not illusory keeping in view the track record of defendant," Jivnani, who remained abroad till 1982, in his plaint said.

He said in 1987, one Ms Mandakini Hule had forcibly occupied the property, but the matter was settled for Rs 11 lakh on intervention of some common friends.

An agreement was signed with her on June 3, 1987, for full settlement of all claims between the two parties, according to which she was to hand over the possession of the premises to him, Jivnani said.

However, Hule, on one pretext or the other, 'deliberately' avoided to fulfil the conditions of the agreement and he thought of selling the property to some other persons.

Hule had by that time "inducted" Sharma into the premises and his (Jivnani’s) manager was threatened and 'coerced' into leaving the premises," it said.

'When I personally met Romesh Sharma and asked him to vacate the premises, I was threatened of serious consequences if any complaint was made with the police or any legal action was taken,' Jivnani alleged.