Fadnavis orders probe into ₹300 crore land deal linked to Ajit Pawar's son

The Maharashtra Revenue Department has suspended a sub-registrar and formed a panel to probe how a government land in Pune was sold to a firm linked to Parth Pawar with stamp duty waived

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said a probe has been ordered into a ₹300-crore land deal allegedly involving Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar, calling it a matter of concern.

 

“Prime facie, the issue looks serious. I've sought all information concerning the case from the relevant departments. Orders have been given to conduct a probe. I can speak about it and the action to be taken after getting all the details,” Fadnavis said on Thursday, as quoted by PTI.

 

How did the ₹300-crore land deal come under scrutiny?

The Maharashtra Revenue Department has suspended a sub-registrar over the transaction and constituted a high-level committee to investigate how 40 acres of "government-owned land" was sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a partner, an official said. The land, located in Pune’s upmarket Mundhwa area, was reportedly sold for ₹300 crore and stamp duty of ₹21 crore was waived, he added.

 

 

“The documents submitted to claim the exemption will be checked. The committee will also see what sort of documents were produced during registration. But as an immediate action, we have suspended the sub-registrar because, if it is government land, the registration should not have taken place," Inspector General of Registration Ravindra Binwade told PTI.

 

Who is linked to Amadea Enterprises LLP?

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the address of Amedea Enterprises and that of Parth Pawar’s residence in Pune’s Yawant Nagar were the same. Besides Pawar, Digvijay Patil, in whose name the registration was carried out, is also a co-partner in the company.

 

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said his department would examine the matter only after receiving a formal complaint, the report added. “The Industries Department, while encouraging certain industries, offers waivers or reliefs. That department will have to provide all relevant details...," Bawankule said.

 

Opposition demands judicial inquiry

The opposition has seized on the controversy with Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar demanding a judicial inquiry, saying, “The purchase of land by the company of Parth Pawar, son of Deputy CM and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, must be investigated in a transparent manner. This is government land, and it was sold without any decision from the Revenue Department in this matter".