'500 Sq Metres Land As Gift, 45% Discount': Yusuf Pathan Gets ₹15-Crore Concession On Vadodara Plot After NDA Switch

Former India cricketer and politician Yusuf Pathan is set to receive a significant concession on a disputed plot of land in Vadodara, with the Gujarat government approving a proposal to allot him 978 square metres of municipal land worth around ₹20.53 crore, Indian Express reported.

According to the report, under the proposed arrangement, 500 square metres will be given to him as a gift, while the remaining 478 square metres will be transferred at a 45% discount.

Based on the reported valuation of ₹2.10 lakh per square metre, the arrangement could provide Pathan a total financial benefit of approximately ₹15 crore compared with the plot's estimated market value. He would pay around ₹5.52 crore for the portion being sold at the concessional rate, while the remaining land would be allotted free of cost.

The approval comes around two months after Pathan and several other MPs broke away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in June 2026 and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The timing has drawn attention to the decision, given the long-running dispute over the land and the Gujarat government's earlier rejection of his request.

However, the allotment is not yet final, as the proposal still requires approval from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation's (VMC) Standing Committee and General Board.

Yusuf Pathan's ₹20.5-Crore Plot Deal Explained

The disputed plot is located in Tandalja, Vadodara, under Town Planning Scheme 22, Final Plot No. 90, adjacent to the Pathan family bungalow.

The 978-square-metre parcel has been valued at approximately ₹20.53 crore based on the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) Valuation Committee's rate of ₹2.10 lakh per square metre, dated March 17, 2026.

Under the Gujarat government's approved proposal, 500 square metres will be allotted to Pathan as a gift for residential use. The remaining 478 square metres will be transferred at 55% of the assessed value, translating into a 45% concession.

At the reported valuation, the 500-square-metre portion is worth approximately ₹10.5 crore. The remaining 478 square metres is valued at around ₹10.04 crore, for which Pathan would pay approximately ₹5.52 crore under the proposed arrangement.

This puts the total concession at approximately ₹15 crore, although the final amount will depend on the terms and valuation applied during the allotment process.

The government resolution also states that the arrangement will not serve as a precedent for similar cases. It further provides for the state Revenue Department to compensate the VMC with land of equivalent value.

From Rejection To Approval: How The Land Dispute Unfolded

The dispute dates back to 2012, when Pathan, then an international cricketer, approached the VMC seeking a 99-year lease of the adjoining municipal plot without a public auction. He cited security concerns involving himself and his brother, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan.

The VMC's Standing Committee and General Board approved the proposal, with the land valued at approximately ₹57,270 per square metre, putting its estimated value at around ₹5.6 crore at the time.

However, in June 2014, the Gujarat government's Urban Development Department rejected the proposal, maintaining that valuable public land should be allotted through an open auction or competitive bidding process.

Despite the rejection, Pathan allegedly continued to occupy the plot, with reports referring to a boundary wall and other structures on the land. No final allotment order was issued in his favour.

High Court Called Pathan An 'Encroacher'

The matter returned to the spotlight in June 2024, shortly after Pathan won the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal on a TMC ticket. The BJP-controlled VMC issued a notice asking him to remove what it described as an encroachment on the municipal plot.

Pathan challenged the notice before the Gujarat High Court. In August 2025, a single-judge bench upheld the government's earlier rejection of his allotment request, ruling that prolonged possession without formal allotment or payment did not create a legal right to the land.

The court described Pathan as an encroacher, while observations during subsequent proceedings questioned how he had occupied and fenced public land without completing the necessary formalities.

In June 2026, the VMC moved towards auctioning the plot at the revised valuation of around ₹20.5 crore. The parcel was among seven municipal plots cleared for the proposed auction process.

Pathan subsequently withdrew his appeal before the Gujarat High Court on August 31, with his counsel indicating that he would pursue the matter outside court under the state's policy concerning international sportspersons.

Gujarat Government's Approval Came After Political Switch

In June 2026, Pathan was among the TMC MPs who broke away from the party and joined the NCPI, following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections. He was subsequently named a national vice-president of the party.

The Gujarat government's resolution approving the proposed allotment was dated August 13 and reached the VMC on August 29, two days before Pathan withdrew his appeal.

The sequence of events has brought renewed attention to the government's decision to approve a concessional allotment after the earlier rejection and prolonged legal dispute. However, the timing alone does not establish that Pathan's political switch led to the decision.

The government's stated terms include a no-precedent clause and compensation to the municipal corporation through equivalent-value land from the Revenue Department.

Final Civic Approvals Still Pending

As of October 20, the Gujarat government's approval has cleared the way for the proposed allotment, but the process remains subject to the VMC's Standing Committee and General Board.

The final payment amount, other allotment conditions and the question of any charges relating to the years of alleged unauthorised occupation remain to be settled.

Until the remaining civic approvals are secured, the proposal cannot be treated as a completed transfer of the land to Pathan.