A farmer in Pune district has filed a civil case against the actor Sonali Bendre and her filmmaker husband Goldie BehlThey are accused of land grabbing and “mafia-style” intimidation. The actor, however, has denied the accusations, calling the case a false attempt to extort money.
Farmers complain of illegal possession and intimidation
According to PTI, the complainants, Chandrakant Balu Shinde (50) and his mother Kamalbai (75), said the celebrity couple used their social influence and allegedly sought the help of the municipal police to forcibly take over 30 guntha (32,000 square meters) of land in Uksan village of Maval taluka.The case was filed last month before a civil court in Vadgaon Maval through advocate Vanraj Shinde. The matter will be heard next on April 24.
A tenancy claim for a decade
According to the lawsuit, the Shinde family has been cultivating the land as “protected tenants” since the 1940s. They have alleged that their names were removed from the revenue records in the 1980s without any warning.The dispute, according to the complaint, began when the original landowners sold the property to a local person in 2012. A portion of that land was later sold to Goldie Behl in March 2021.The mother and son have called these transactions “illegal and void,” saying their tenancy rights were never legally terminated.
Allegations of threats and police bias
Likewise, the plaintiffs have complained of intimidation and abuse of authority. According to the lawsuit, on December 14, 2025, Sonali Bendre and Goldie Behl allegedly arrived at the site with workers and heavy machinery to begin construction without permission.When Kamalbai tried to intervene, she was allegedly threatened. The complaint also claims that police officials at the site warned the family that they were involved in fake robbery cases if they continued to “harass” the couple.
Sonali Bendre denies the allegations
Responding to the claims, Sonali Bendre said her name does not appear in the land purchase documents related to the Maval property.Calling the case baseless, his lawyer Raju Shinde said, “It is a false case organized only to extort money.”The case will now go to court as both sides prepare to present their arguments.
