Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has gone back on his decision to donate his agricultural land in Maharashtra that he bought from original owners, saying that he wants to retain it. Confirming Bachchan's decision, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Maval Taluka Sanjaysinh Chavan said, "we have received a letter from Bachchan yesterday saying he wants to unconditionally withdraw his earlier decision to donate his land to original owners."

The letter, signed by Bachchan, who had earlier decided to give back the land following controversy over land deal in Uttar Pradesh, was delivered to the office of SDO through his counsel Advocate Unmesh Deshpande.

In the letter, the 'Big B' says, "I myself as karta (the family head) and on behalf of my son, Abhishek request you to kindly treat the matter closed."

He further says, "We realise that our action and interaction to surrender the land in favour of the erstwhile owners was based on utterly wrong premises. We, therefore, unconditionally withdraw the said letter send dated July 19, 2007."

The actor was in the controversy some time ago after he purchased the land in Pale near the Pavna dam, some 70 kms from Mumbai, by attaching documents that showed he owned agricultural land in Daulatpur village in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.

Bachchan had purchased a plot of land near Lonavla in Pune district in 2000. As per Section 63 of Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act 1948, no person can purchase agricultural land in Maharashtra if he is not a farmer.

Bachchan had used the UP land allotment as a testimonial to establish his credentials as a farmer for this deal. He had submitted the documents in March 2006.

In the same month, the Pune District Collector had written to the Barabanki District Magistrate for the authentification of Bachchan's testimonial.

Bachchan's land registration in Maharashtra was deemed legal on the basis of a certificate given by district collector of Barabanki to the effect that Bachchan owned agricultural land since 1982 and that gave him the status of a farmer.

The problem for Bachchan began when a court in Uttar Pradesh ruled that Bachchan is not a farmer.

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