Sub-registrar, 2 others held guilty in Pune land deal report; No mention of Parth Pawar

A committee headed by Joint Inspector General of Registration (IGR) in its report has termed it as controversial Three people named in a police FIR related to a Rs 300 crore land deal involving a Pune-based company co-owned by Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s son Parth have been convicted, an official said.

However, the three-member panel’s report submitted on Tuesday (November 18) does not mention Parth Pawar as his name does not appear in any document, a senior official told PTI.

Joint IGR Rajendra Muthe, who headed the committee, submitted the report to IGR Ravindra Binwade, who forwarded it to Pune divisional commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar.

The sale of 40 acres of land in Pune’s posh Mundwa area to Amadiya Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a partner, came under scrutiny after it emerged that the plot belonged to the government and could not be sold, and the firm was exempted from payment. Rs 21 crore in stamp duty.

“Since Parth Pawar’s name does not appear on record in the entire sale deed, he cannot be held guilty in the investigation. However, the report has indicted all those directly involved in the deal, including suspended government official (sub-registrar) Ravindra Taru,” the official said.

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The other two people named in the report were Digvijay Patil (Parth Pawar’s business partner and cousin) and Sheetal Tejwani (who held power of attorney on behalf of the land sellers). The first information report filed by the police has named Taru, Patil and Tejwani as the accused.

The investigation committees of the Revenue Department and the Settlement Commissioner will also submit their respective reports. The official said all three reports will be sent to Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge, who is heading the six-member panel formed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to probe the land deal, which was later scrapped.

He said the Muthe Committee report also recommended measures to prevent such fraudulent deals in future.

According to the report, in cases where stamp duty waiver is sought, the Collector (Stamp) will have to scrutinize and approve it.

Citing Section 18-K of the Registration Act, 1908, the report said documentation can be completed only when a 7/12 extract (an important land record document) not older than a month is submitted, along with all documents establishing ownership of the concerned immovable property.

“As per the notification issued on April 20, 2025, an amendment has been made in the Registration Act, 1908. It has been made mandatory for all sub-registrars not to register documents related to sale or purchase of government-owned properties.”

However, the Muthey report states that this provision is currently limited only to cases involving established government ownership.

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The report recommends that similar restrictions should be applied in cases where government ownership, possession or interest is not clearly established.

Meanwhile, the IGR office has given seven days time to Amadiya Enterprises to present its stand on the notice demanding payment Rs 42 crore as stamp duty on cancellation of Mundwa land deal.

“The company wanted 15 days’ time, but we have given them seven days to respond to the notice,” said an official from the IGR office.