Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered an inquiry into allegations of irregularities in a Pune land deal linked to Parth Pawar, the son of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
“I have asked for all the details and ordered a probe. The truth in this matter will be brought out,” Fadnavis said, as the state government suspended a sub-registrar and set up a three-member committee to investigate the case.
According to the allegations, the sub-registrar’s office waived stamp duty worth ₹21 crore on the registration of a 40-acre land sale in Mundhwa valued at ₹300 crore. The land was sold to Amedea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Parth Pawar is a partner. The property lies close to Pune’s upscale Koregaon Park area.
Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the committee would determine whether the exemption in stamp duty complied with the law. “There are specific legal provisions concerning Mahar Watan land and exemptions in stamp duty for particular purposes,” he said.
Bawankule added that he had instructed the probe committee to verify whether the legal provisions governing Mahar Watan land were followed. Mahar Watan refers to hereditary land grants made to members of the Mahar community.
Ravindra Binwade, inspector general of registration and controller of stamps, said the three-member panel would submit its report within ten days. “The committee will examine the circumstances under which the stamp duty was waived and review all documents submitted,” Binwade stated, adding that the joint inspector general of registration would head the panel.
Repeated attempts to contact Parth Pawar for comment were unsuccessful. Documents reviewed by HT show that the address of Amedea Enterprises matches Parth Pawar’s residence in Pune’s Yawant Nagar. The registration papers list Amedea Enterprises as the buyer, with Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, the other partner in the firm, signing the documents.
