Amitabh does not qualify as a farmer
Afp, Lucknow
Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan was dealt a setback yesterday when a court ruled he did not qualify as a farmer -- a status that entitled him to buy a 20-acre farm. A lawsuit alleged that Bachchan had used his political contacts in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is wife represents in parliament, to get designated as a farmer and allow him to buy the land. The court found that a certificate identifying the 64-year-old actor as a farmer since 1983 was forged. "The superstar cannot get away lightly," said Amir Haider, a member of the ruling Congress party who filed the suit. He said the Bollywood star should now face a criminal investigation. Bachchan bought a farm in Maharashtra, which along with many other Indian states restricts the purchase of agricultural land to legitimate farmers.
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