Land for Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani’s Rs 15000 crore Antilia was owned by Kareem Bhai, he was a…, Ambanis bought the prime property for just Rs…
New Delhi: Antilia, the grand and super luxurious 27-floor home of Mukesh Ambani, is one of the most expensive houses, not only in India but across the world. The home replicated the status of the Ambani family. Antilla is built by two of the most prominent names in the architectural and construction world, Perkins & Will and Leighton Asia. The house was built to perfection, with all the amenities one could dream of, and Mukesh Ambani made sure the home accommodated all the luxuries and comforts of his family.
With a net worth of a jaw-dropping US dollars 9430 crore, the Ambani’s are the wealthiest family in India, with Mukesh Ambani being ranked first on the Forbes list of India’s 100 Richest Tycoons, and their house does complete justice to their stature in society.
The stunning home is valued at approx 4.6 billion US dollars and is one of the most expensive residential properties. However, did you know that ‘Antilia’ was not the first construction done on the land? Today, in this article, we will delve into the history of this land that is now the home to the richest man in the country.
The land was meant for a charitable cause
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has made a statement that the land on which Mukesh Ambani’s house, ‘Antilia,’ stands was originally meant for charitable use only. The revelation reignited a debate regarding the rightful ownership of the land. According to the reports, the land was donated by an extremely wealthy person named, Kareem Bhai Ibrahim to a trust.
Reports further add that the land originally housed an orphanage called ‘Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana’. This orphanage was owned by Kareem Bhai, a wealthy shipowner, in 1895. However, the land, including the orphanage, was donated to a charity run by the Waqf board in 1986. The claims are that this land was donated for the purpose of religious education and housing orphans only.
Waqf board made a request and the purchase was made by Mukesh Ambani
In the year 2002 the trust, run by the Waqf board, reached out to the charity commissioner and sought permission to sell the land. Three months later the board got permission. The charity sold the land to a commercial private company managed by Mukesh Ambani for a grand total of 2.5 million US dollars.
According to reports, the land was allocated for the sole purpose of building an educational institution for underprivileged Khoja children. Mukesh’s firm, which handled this land, was called, ‘Antilia Commercial Private Limited.’ The land was allegedly worth 18 million US dollars.
However, it was sold at a price lower than the market value. A sale like this was in direct contravention of Section 51 of the Waqf Act, which made it necessary for the involved parties to get the approval of the Maharashtra State Board of Waqfs.
The Waqf Minister, Nawab Malik, along with the Government of Maharashtra, opposed the sale, resulting in a stay order being issued on the land. Initially, the Waqf Board also challenged the deal and filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the trust’s decision. However, the court dismissed the petition. The stay order was eventually lifted, and the board went on to withdraw its objection.
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