The Maharashtra government spent over Rs 25 lakh on visits of Ministers and bureaucrats to London to finalise the purchase of the house where B.R. Ambedkar stayed while pursuing higher studies, an RTI query has revealed.

Also, it has come to light that name of the actual owner of the property has not been mentioned in the State government records.

According to a query filed by RTI activist Anil Galgali, the sum of Rs 32 crore paid by the government to buy the bungalow has been transferred to the solicitor M/s Sedon rather than the property’s actual owner.

Information seeking the owner’s name and total built up area of the bungalow from the Maharashtra Social Justice Department was forwarded to the Mahatma Phule Backward Development Corporation (MPBDC), which facilitated the deal.

MPBDC, too, was not aware of the owner’s name.

“The information received states that a total of Rs 25.45 lakh was spent from public exchequer for the travel and stay of Social Justice Ministers Raj Kumar Badole (Cabinet rank) and Dilip Kamble (MoS) and Secretary of the Department Ujjwal Uke.

“They had travelled to London for site visits when the negotiation for the bungalow was on. It is surprising that in spite of spending a huge sum, the government is unaware of the name of the house owner,” Mr. Galgali said.