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After 20 years of relentless struggle, Doreen Fernandes, a widow residing in Santacruz, has finally triumphed in her battle against Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his family. The conflict arose over her rightful share following the sale of her ancestral bungalow. The Bhujbals, who faced allegations of land grabbing and prolonged dispute, have now settled with Doreen, agreeing to pay her a substantial sum of Rs.8.41 crore as a final resolution.
Doreen, 78, became the sole caregiver for her three autistic sons after the demise of her husband, Claude Fernandes. The family's plight gained public attention when social activist and former Aam Aadmi Party leader Anjali Damania exposed their story in a 14-minute video clip of a press conference, accusing the Bhujbals of withholding the Fernandes family's rightful share. The video went viral, shedding light on the hardships faced by the family.
Damania alleged that the Catholic family was evicted to make way for a residential building for the Bhujbals. The Fernandes family had entered into an agreement with a builder in 1994, promising them five flats in a tower to be constructed on the space of their ancestral residence. However, the developer later sold the plot to a company owned by Sameer Bhujbal, leading to the construction of a high-rise tower where the Bhujbals now reside.
Now Damania has shared pictures of Doreen's passbook, confirming the amount of Rs.8.41 crore credited to her bank account. Expressing gratitude towards Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for their intervention, Damania said that this fight has given her huge satisfaction.
The financial settlement brings relief to Doreen's concerns about the future of her three children. She plans to invest the money wisely and establish a trust to secure the funds for her sons after her passing. Doreen revealed that they had meetings with Bhujbal's lawyers for quite some time and Supriya Sule helped put the meetings through. Chhagan Bhujbal also confirmed that the payment has been made.
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