Pune (Maharashtra) [India], November 7 (HBTV): An FIR has been registered at Bavdhan Police Station in connection with alleged irregularities in a multi-crore land transaction in Pune involving Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar.
According to the complaint filed by Santosh Ashok Hingane, Deputy District Registrar, the accused — Sheetal Kishanchand Tejwani, Digvijay Amarsingh Patil, and suspended Sub-Registrar Ravindra Balkrishna Taru — allegedly conspired to evade stamp duty worth INR 6 crore during the registration of a sale deed for land in Survey No. 88, Mouje Mundhwa.
Despite official communication from the district administration dated May 9, 2025, directing payment of INR 5.89 crore in stamp duty, the sale deed was executed without collecting the required amount. The alleged act caused a significant financial loss to the state exchequer.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 316(5), 318(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, read with Section 59 of the Maharashtra Stamp Act. Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Registration in Pune has submitted an interim report to the Additional Chief Secretary in Mumbai on the alleged land scam.
The land in question, approximately 40 acres of government-owned Mahar Vatan land, was reportedly sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Parth Pawar is a partner.
According to the interim report, the property, allegedly valued as high as INR 1,800 crore, was sold to a company linked to Parth Pawar for just INR 300 crore, with a nominal stamp duty of only INR 500, allegedly bypassing due procedures for government-linked land.
Following the submission of the interim report, one official has been suspended, and the government has formed a high-level committee to conduct a detailed inquiry into the irregularities and financial losses caused to the state. The final report from the committee is expected within eight days.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has distanced himself from the alleged land deal. Emphasising transparency and accountability, Pawar said he ‘will never support anyone flouting rules,’ adding that even those close to him are not exempt from following due process.
‘I only want to say that whatever reports are being run are not known to me. I have no connection with the issue. I had already clarified that I will not tolerate any wrongdoing. I will analyse the details of the case personally,’ Ajit Pawar told reporters on Thursday.
‘I have never called any officer to benefit any of our relatives or any party worker. If anyone is doing wrong or acting against the set norms, I will never support them. I always abide by the rules and regulations. The Chief Minister should definitely inquire into the matter and find the truth behind it. All the rules should be followed, and no one should flout the rules. Even those close to me are not allowed to surpass them,’ he added.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing reporters in Nagpur, confirmed that the government has taken cognisance of the issue.
‘In connection with the allegations made regarding the alleged land scam in Pune, I have sought complete information from both the Revenue Department and the Land Records Department. Based on this inquiry and the information received, we will present our official stance,’ Fadnavis said.
‘At first glance, some of the issues that have come to light appear to be extremely serious in nature. Therefore, I will make a detailed statement on this matter only after receiving all the relevant information,’ he added.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who first raised the issue, alleged that the land in Pune’s Mundhwa area was purchased at a price far below the prevailing market rate.
‘The land was bought at a throwaway price, and the government granted a stamp duty waiver of INR 21 crore. We demand that whoever is responsible for this scam should be booked in a criminal case,’ Kumbhar said.
(ANI)