June 25: A land dispute is threatening to seal the fate of India Club, promoted by the developers K K Khandelwal Group of Companies as a place where ``industry captains could mix work with pleasure.'' The Khandelwal group is locked in a legal wrangle with one Dr Swetank Jain, who claims that the land belongs to him.

Some board members of the club including cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, industrialist Adi Godrej, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Najma Heptullah and former sheriff Nana Chudasama have already resigned, and more are likely to follow.

The club, proposed to be set up at Nariman Point near the Y B Chavan Auditorium on a 28,500 square feet plot, was conceived two years ago.

When contacted by Express Newsline, Khandelwal alleged that Jain has encroached upon the land. ``We have approached the Bombay High Court to get the plot vacated,'' he said and added that within a month, the dispute would be settled and the club would start functioning by the next year.

Dr Jain, however claimed that he owns the plot. ``I bought the 12,000 square feet plot from the `Foreshore Co-operative Housing Society. I have legal documents to prove my ownership...there is no scope for a dispute.''

Khandelwal alleged that a few people with vested interests are misguiding his club member. ``The `Forum of Members Defrauded by India Club' is an unauthorised organisation and is sending letters without any name and signature to our members and the press to provoke them against my project.''

When asked for his reaction, Nana Chudasama said, ``I have resigned as a member of the advisory committee because timely meetings were not being held.''

Gavaskar in a fax message explained, ``I was only a formal member of the board, and didn't take active part in the day-to-day management of the club. Now I am not associated with it.''

Khandelwal maintains these resignations had nothing to do with the land dispute. ``The two years of their membership had expired, so they resigned. Once the project starts, we will again induct more distinguished personalities into the club.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.