Antilia (building)

The 4,532-square-metre (1.120-acre) land on which Antilia was built housed an orphanage called Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana with 60 orphans, and belonged to a charity run by the Wakf board. The orphanage had been founded in 1895 by Currimbhoy Ebrahim, a wealthy shipowner.[10] In 2005, this property was purchased by Muffin-Antilia Commercial Private Limited, a commercial entity controlled by Mukesh Ambani, from the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Trust, in direct contravention[11] of § 51 of the Wakf Act.[12] In 2002, the trust took permission from the charity commissioner to sell this land. The charity commissioner gave the required permission three months later. Section 51 of the Wakf Act requires that any such sale of land should be done after the permission of the Maharashtra state board of wakts. However this permission was not taken, a notice was sent to the orphanage, this was disputed by the orphanage trust and finally, the Wakf Board and the orphanage came to an agreement.[13] The sale proceeded and the building was built. However, a PIL was filed a decade later by Abdul Matin, against the orphanage and the Charity commissioners permission.[14] The case remains in court is as of 2018, was still being heard by a special bench of the court.[15][16]

The charity had sold the land allocated for the purpose of education of underprivileged Khoja children to Antilia Commercial Private Limited in July 2002 for ₹210.5 million (US$3.0 million).[17] The prevailing market value of the land at the time was at least ₹1.5 billion (US$21 million).[18][19][20]

The Waqf minister Nawab Malik opposed this land sale, as did the revenue department of the Government of Maharashtra. Thus a stay order was issued on the sale of the land. The Waqf board also initially opposed the deal and filed a PIL in the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the trust. The Supreme Court, while dismissing the petition, asked the Waqf board to approach the Bombay High Court. However, the stay on the deal was subsequently vacated after the Waqf board withdrew its objection on receiving an amount of ₹1.6 million (US$22,000) from Antilia Commercial Pvt Ltd, and it issued a No Objection Certificate.[21]

In 2007 the Maharashtra state government said the structure is illegal because the land's owner, the Waqf Board, had no right to sell it, as Waqf property can neither be sold nor transferred.[22] Ambani then obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Waqf Board after paying ₹ 1.6 million and began construction.[22] In June 2011, the Union government asked the Maharashtra government to consider referring the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation.[23][24][25][26]

In regards to the three helipads, the Indian Navy said it will not allow the construction of helipads on Mumbai buildings, while the Environment Ministry, following a representation from Awaaz Foundation,[27] said the helipads violate local noise laws.[22][28] Issues have also been raised with regards to the construction of an illegal car park.

In 2011 it was reported that Ambani had yet to move into the home, despite its completion, for fear of "bad luck".[29]