After probe order, Ajit Pawar says Parth's Pune land deal stands cancelled

The deal in question came under the scanner on Thursday, following which Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a probe had been ordered into the matter

A day after a controversy erupted around a ₹300-crore land deal in Pune involving his son, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the deal between Parth Pawar and his business partner Digvijay Patil has been scrapped, PTI reported.

 

Pawar claimed that both men were unaware that the land in question belonged to the government.

 

“The concerned land is government land, which cannot be sold. Parth and his partner Digvijay were not aware of this fact. How the registration [of its sale] was done and who is responsible will come out in the probe being headed by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Vikas Kharge, and he will submit his report in a month,” Pawar said shortly after meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as quoted by PTI. 

 

What triggered the controversy?

The deal came under the scanner on Thursday, following which Fadnavis announced a probe into the transaction. It involves the sale of 40 acres of “government-owned land” to Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar and Digvijay Patil are partners.

 

A stamp duty of ₹21 crore was reportedly waived in the now-cancelled deal.

What legal action has been taken so far?

Two FIRs have been registered in the case. One names Digvijay Patil, Shital Tejwani — who represented the 272 “owners” of the land through a power of attorney — and sub-registrar R B Taru for alleged misappropriation and cheating. The second FIR names Patil, Tejwani, and suspended revenue official Suryakant Yewale, according to PTI.

 

Ajit Pawar clarified that the FIRs did not name his son Parth, as only those three individuals had visited the registrar’s office to sign the documents.

 

Did Ajit Pawar or his office influence the deal?

Defending his son, Pawar said there was no attempt to influence authorities to transfer the land to Parth’s company.

 

“I want to make it clear that neither I nor my office made any phone calls, gave any help, or had any role or knowledge about this transaction at any stage,” he said.

Was any payment made or possession taken?

The deputy CM added that, based on available information, the deal was merely an agreement to purchase the land, with no payments made by his son, his company, or any family member. He said that possession of the land had not been taken, rendering the transaction incomplete.

 

“My son Parth says that the proposed deal was within the ambit of law and completely above board. However, in public life, we must not allow even a suspicion of wrongdoing to emerge. Since allegations of wrongdoing have been made, he has agreed to cancel the deal. The required document for cancellation of the sale deed has already been submitted to the registering authority,” Pawar said.