Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
In a shocking revelation, Sprouts News’ Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered a massive tax fraud amounting to crores of rupees involving the well-known Balkan Ji Bari Trust in Ulhasnagar. The scam allegedly involves bogus trustees of the trust, officials from the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation’s (UMC) Property Tax Department and a GIS mapping company named Kolbro.
• Massive Tax Evasion Exposed
The Balkan Ji Bari Trust, already mired in controversies, faces serious allegations including tax evasion, unauthorized constructions, and misuse of government-leased land for personal gain. Written complaints have been submitted to the Municipal Commissioner, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and the Charity Commissioner, demanding strict action against the trustees involved.
The trust has reportedly been evading crores in taxes for decades by misleading municipal authorities. Despite operating various commercial activities like schools and cricket turfs on a 10-acre land, the trust pays a meager ₹10,000 per year in property tax—an amount shockingly low for such extensive use. Instead of being taxed under commercial rates, the property has been categorized under domestic rates for the past 40 years, causing substantial revenue losses to the municipality.
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• The Scale of the Scam
According to SIT’s findings, the land spans approximately 50,000 square yards (or 41,821 square meters) of open space. Based on the current tax rate of ₹8 per square yard, the trust should be paying around ₹80 lakhs annually. This discrepancy points to a deliberate attempt to underreport property value and evade taxes.
Following Sprouts’ investigation, the UMC’s tax department has initiated the revaluation process of the entire land. Officials are now considering taxing the property under commercial rates, which could significantly boost municipal revenues.
• Social Activist Raises Red Flags
Supporting the investigation of Sprouts, social worker Anand Shinde highlighted that the land was leased to the trust in 1974 for a nominal fee of ₹1 per year for 99 years. However, the trust has been subletting parts of the property for commercial purposes, including schools, sports turfs, and de-addiction centers, generating massive profits.
Shinde also accused the trust of unauthorized constructions, failure to maintain proper financial records as required by the Charity Commissioner, and illegally renting out the premises without official consent. “The trust has now become more of a private family property rather than a public charitable institution,” Shinde remarked.
• What’s Next?
As the SIT’s findings continue to unravel, pressure mounts on the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation to take swift legal action. The revaluation process is underway, and further investigations are expected to expose more layers of this multi-crore tax scam.
