A lawyer claims he plans to construct a Sanatan school on the plot of land that underworld mobster Dawood Ibrahim owned in Maharashtra, which he purchased yesterday for an astounding ₹ 2 crore.

Former Shiv Sena leader Ajay Srivastava claimed he paid such a high price for the plot because the survey number and the sum add up to a number in numerology that benefits him.

“We follow our panditji as Sanatani Hindus, including myself. Numerology tells me that the survey number (of the plot) and the amount have a figure that works in my favor. After it’s converted, I’ll open a Sanatan school on this land,” Mr. Srivastava declared.

Three of the underworld don’s properties, including his childhood home in the same village, had previously been bought by Mr. Srivastava.

In an auction held in March 2001 in Nagpada, Mumbai, the lawyer had purchased two shops owned by the terrorist, for which Mr Srivastava was the only bidder.

2020 saw the lawyer purchase Dawood’s childhood home in Mumbake village, the terrorist’s birthplace. Due to some inconsistencies in the documentation, he has not yet received the deed for the bungalow. He now hopes to receive the deed shortly after the errors were fixed.

“In 2020, I submitted a bid for Dawood Ibrahim’s bungalow. “I have established a Sanatan Dharm Pathshala Trust and will open a Sanatan school there once it is registered,” he declared.

Dawood Ibrahim’s four properties went up for auction yesterday.

A 1,730 sq m plot with a reserve price of ₹ 1.56 lakh was sold for ₹ 3.28 lakh, while the two larger land parcels drew no bids.

Ajay Srivastava paid ₹ 2.01 crore for the smallest land parcel, which has an area of 170.98 sq m and a reserve price of ₹ 15,440.