Dismissed Cop Shailesh Patil, Absconding In Gangrape Case, Named In I-T Records; Alleged Custodian Of Benami Assets Linked To IPS Officers & Politicians

Mumbai, September 22, 2026: Dismissed police cop Shailesh Patil, currently absconding alongside former BJP MLA Narendra Pawar in a gangrape case, has figured in Income Tax (I-T) Department records that allegedly link him to purported cash movements, extortion activities and benami real estate transactions involving several senior IPS-rank police officials, bureaucrats and political figures, investigators familiar with the records said.

The records accessed by The Free Press Journal are linked to alleged financial transactions involving Patil, police officials, political figures and businessmen. According to a senior Central agency official familiar with the records, the investigation identified Patil as an alleged intermediary who collected and moved purported proceeds generated from illegal business operations and extortion, parked the funds in benami residential/land holdings before being systematically transferred into benami commercial properties and corporate entities linked to senior IPS-rank officials and bureaucrats.

Records Link Senior Officials

Some of the senior IPS-rank police officers referred to in the records are currently posted at Maharashtra Police headquarters, while others are serving in key positions, including as commissioners in different cities and some posted in different districts of Maharashtra. Sources familiar with the developments indicated that several of the senior officers named in the tax dossiers feature in state lists for impending administrative transfers.

The nexus trail of hundreds of crores of rupees emerged during I-T searches conducted a few years ago at the commercial premises of a politically connected builder in Mumbai and Nashik. During the searches, the department allegedly recovered loose sheets and transaction ledgers containing details of suspected off-the-books financial transactions, including entries involving Patil and individuals holding senior positions in the police and administration. The ledgers and questioning of those present at the premises during the searches, including the builder and his finance executives, allegedly expose how police-bureaucrat protection networks converted illicit cash extortion and syndicate collections into legitimised capital holdings via real estate and political financing conduits.

Builder Questioned Over Transactions

According to the I-T investigation report, during questioning, the Nashik-based builder reportedly told investigators that Patil was not an employee of his office but exercised influence over certain financial transactions because of his political connections and his alleged role as an intermediary. When questioned about transactions allegedly involving senior IPS-rank officers and political figures, the builder reportedly said he did not have information about their origin or intended use and had had no control over the transactions and that the firm's accounts had allegedly been used without his knowledge or control. Confronted with transaction records relating to IPS officers and political figures, the builder claimed inability to recall details, asserting that "Patil was better placed to explain them."

Records Under Investigation

The records are understood to contain references to alleged financial dealings involving illegal gambling operations, sand and oil-related businesses, land grabbing and extortion networks. Investigators are examining Patil’s alleged role in collecting and moving proceeds from these activities, which were subsequently converted into apparently legitimate investments through real estate transactions and dealings involving builders and other business entities.

Also Watch:

The ledgers also contain references to alleged election-related funding involving several political figures, including a senior Maharashtra Cabinet minister, with multiple payments allegedly recorded by Patil against the minister’s name. Several entries reportedly refer to approximately Rs 75 lakh allegedly provided by Patil to former BJP MLA Narendra Pawar, who is currently absconding along with Patil in the gangrape case. The off-the-books transaction records also contain details of election-related payments running into several crores to other political figures, allegedly made by Patil on demand, according to the records.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/