Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into allegations of irregularities concerning a large land deal in Pune involving Parth Pawar, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The government has simultaneously suspended a sub-registrar and constituted a high-level committee to investigate the matter.
Allegations of Stamp Duty Waiver
The controversy centers on the alleged waiver of ₹21 crore in stamp duty for the registration of a 40-acre land sale in Mundhwa, valued at ₹300 crore. The buyer was Amedea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is listed as a partner. The deal was registered in May, and the land is located adjacent to Pune’s upscale Koregaon Park area.
Chief Minister Fadnavis confirmed the action, stating, “I have sought all the information. A probe has also been ordered…will bring out the truth in this matter.”
Committee to Examine Mahar Watan Land Law
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankuke explained that the three-member committee will specifically check if the exemption in stamp duty was legally granted, particularly in relation to Mahar Watan land.
“There is a specific law about Mahar Watan land and an exemption in stamp duty for specific purposes,” Bawankuke noted, referring to hereditary land grants historically made to the Mahar community.
The inspector general of registration and controller of stamps, Ravindra Binwade, stated that the panel, headed by the joint inspector general of registration, is tasked with submitting its report within 10 days. The committee will probe the circumstances under which the stamp duty was waived and the nature of the documents submitted.
According to documents reviewed by HT, the address of Amedea Enterprises and Parth Pawar’s residence in Pune’s Yawant Nagar are the same. Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, the other partner in Amedea Enterprises, signed the registration documents. Parth Pawar has not yet commented on the allegations.