SOLAN, July 6: Salman Rushdie has been asked to pay Rs 1.54 lakh to make up for the amount spent on the renovation of his ancestral property, Anis Villa, by the State Government. Deputy Commissioner B S Nainta, Solan, while talking to mediapersons said here today that a letter has been written to Rushdie in this context.

The bungalow was constructed by Rushdie's father Maulvi Anis Ahmad Rushdie in the 1940s. However, following the confusion of Partition, when Ahmad failed to come to Solan for several years, it was presumed that he had left for Pakistan. Subsequently, the property was declared as belonging to an ``evacuee'' and later used by the Education Department for housing the office of the District Education Officer.

Sometime in 1991-92, the then deputy commissioner passed an order transferring the property to the State Government. Later, Anis Villa was converted into the official residence of additional district magistrate, Solan.

When Rushdie came to know of this, he filed a writ petition in the Himachal Pradesh High Court challenging the order.

Even as the High Court was considering the matter, the Solan Deputy Commissioner stayed the taking over of the property and started reviewing the whole case. Finally, it was decided that the property be restored in the name of Ahmad, followed by transfer to his successor.

Since Rushdie possessed a document showing Anis Villa had been bequeathed to him and the other successor supported his case, the State Government decided to register the bungalow in his name.

However, it has apparently been decided that the amount spent on renovating the villa before handing it over to Rushdie about Rs 1.54 lakh be recovered from him. Meanwhile, construction work on the new official residence for the ADM, Solan, has been taken up by the Government on a war-footing. It is expected to be finished by the end of this month.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.