Bombay High Court Upholds Valor Estate's Ownership of 205-Acre Thane Land

The Bombay High Court has ruled in favor of Miraland Developers, a subsidiary of Valor Estate (formerly DB Realty), in a long-standing land dispute over approximately 205 acres of land in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation area of Thane district. The court dismissed a first appeal filed by the Union of India through its Salt Department, which had claimed ownership of the land.

The roots of this dispute trace back to an 1870 indenture, under which the Secretary of State for India in Council granted a 999-year lease of around 3,688 acres, covering the villages of Bhayandar, Ghodbunder, and Mira, to a private grantee. The specific land in question, roughly 220-227 acres of Eksali lands, passed through several private assignments, with the current ownership traced through The Estate Investment Company and Mira Salt Work Company.

The Salt Department's claim was primarily based on the assertion that these Eksali lands were intended for salt works and thus fell under federal jurisdiction. However, the court observed that a 1938 notification under the Government of India Act, 1935, which listed properties and buildings used by the Bombay Salt Department, conspicuously omitted the suit lands. This exclusion was a critical piece of evidence against the Union’s claim of ownership.

Furthermore, the court noted that the Salt Department did not assert its title until 1983, over a century after the original grant and decades after the developer's predecessors-in-title had acquired the rights. The bench highlighted that the State of Maharashtra had already recognized Miraland’s predecessors as 'superior holders' under the Salsette Estates Act of 1951. Previous rounds of litigation, which reached the Supreme Court in the late 1980s, had also consistently favored the private title over state interference.

Subsequent revenue proceedings before the Collector and the Additional Commissioner, Konkan Division, concluded in 2010 that the Salt Department had no right, title, or interest in the lands, with title recognized in favor of the private parties. The Salt Department then filed the civil suit in 2011, which was dismissed in 2018, leading to the present appeal.

In dismissing the appeal, the Bombay High Court emphasized that the Union of India failed to provide sufficient evidence to overturn the detailed findings of the Thane Civil Court's 2018 judgment. The bench remarked that the appellant had failed to establish its title and ownership, making the challenge to subsequent revenue entries academic. The court also declined to remand the matter for further adjudication, stating that doing so would only prolong a litigation process that has already spanned generations.

The litigation stretches back over four decades, encompassing proceedings before revenue authorities, the Bombay High Court, and the Supreme Court. This ruling finally brings closure to a long and complex legal battle, affirming the ownership rights of Miraland Developers and providing clarity for future development and investment in the area.