June 02, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1428

LUCKNOW, June 1: Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan was dealt a setback on Friday 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 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.

—AFP