'Amitabh cannot donate land belonging to others'

New Delhi, July 20: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today denied that film actor Amitabh Bachchan had written any letter to inform her of any decision to donate 'his' land at Daulatpur in Barabanki district to the gaon (village) sabha.

''I have not received any letter from him. Moreover, he is not the owner of the land, so how can he take any decision concerning it,'' she said addressing a news conference here.

''A person has no power to donate land that belongs to others,'' she added.

Ms Mayawati had come here for a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

State Principal secretary to Chief Minister Shailesh Krishna had said in Lucknow yesterday that as the matter was sub-judice, government had no role even if Mr Bachchan surrendered the agricultural land till the court gave its decision in the case.

Meanwhile, Mr Bachchan has also decided to return the Pune land.

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane yesterday said in Mumbai that the Pune Divisional Commissioner had received a letter from the megastar stating that he wanted to return the land without any remuneration.

In 1983, about 4.142 hectare land at Daulatpur was allotted to the film actor, reportedly to prove that he was a farmer so that he could buy agricultural land in Maharashtra, where law does not allow the sale of farm land to non-agriculturists.

The issue came to light in March 2006 after the Pune Collector questioned his Barabanki counterpart to know about the status of the Daulatpur land.

When the Barabanki District Magistrate went into the land records, he found that the agreement was quashed in March, 2006.

However, in November, the sucessive District Magistrate restored status quo ante, quashing his predecessor's order.

UNI