Parth Pawar Pune Land Case: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Distances Himself As ₹300-Crore Deal Faces Irregularity Allegations

Mumbai: A Rs300-crore land deal in Pune involving a firm linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth was embroiled in charges of irregularities and set off a political row.

This issue could become a major challenge for the Mahayuti 2 government, which will complete one year in office next month. Although Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has distanced himself from the controversy, stating he had no involvement in the land deal, a troubling question remains: How did state government officials facilitate such an improper deal?

The first point, which will be the high-level inquiry committee of additional chief secretary Vikas Kharge, known for his impeccable integrity, would ask how an occupancy class 2 land can be disposed of in such a way. The 7/12 extract clearly mentions ‘Mumbai Sarkar’ (the then Bombay Government before 1960) as the title holder of the land.

Certainly, there are rules while transferring a government land, a market value of which is said to be worth Rs1,800 crore, and in this case, mandatory permission of the district collector was not taken. The 7/12 extract says 272 persons as the land holders – means it was allotted to them for farming when the prime Mudhwa area, close to high-profile Koregaon Park area, was just a village.

The land deal entered into government records on May 20 this year surfaced after five months. Why such an important land deal of 40 acres, never come up for scrutiny of senior officers in Pune is another issue that will further embarrass the government.

During the registration process, the buyer firm - Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth is a partner, produced a copy of the letter of intent (LoI) issued by the District Industries Centre, to claim a stamp duty waiver according to the government policy for the Software Technology Parks. Basically, a stamp duty is waived off when a software technology firm is duly approved by the Industries Department. The stamp duty can not be waived off based on just an LoI. In this case, the District Industries Centre has a lot to answer for, including how, within a day, the LoI was issued, said sources.

Speaking on the issue, industries minister Uday Samant claimed baseless reports that the company was given a stamp duty waiver and the transaction was completed for merely Rs500. The company has not applied to the Industries Department for any stamp duty concession, Samant told reporters.

“Issuing an LoI does not mean that a waiver or concession has been approved. It is only a preliminary step for eligibility verification. No financial benefit is granted through it,” he said.

When everything was on the wrong side, why were senior officials in Pune kept in the dark or were they silenced, is the big question.

Clarifying his stand, Ajit Pawar said he was not directly concerned with the deal nor was he remotely connected to it. Interestingly, not just his son Parth but his nephew Digvijay, son of his late brother-in-law Amarsinh Patil, has signed the deal. Amarsinh Patil was the younger brother of Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member.

Going quickly on the defensive, leaders of the Mahayuti government engaged in face-saving. Two separate inquiries, one by ACS Kharge and another by the Joint Inspector General of Registration and Stamp Duty, Rajendra Muthe, were ordered.

While speaking to media persons, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a probe has been ordered into the allegations of irregularities in the land deal.

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, he said, adding, he does not think Ajit Pawar would back his son if irregularities are found in the matter.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, whose department is the custodian of the government land parcels and parent department of the registration and stamp duty, assured that his department would examine an alleged land deal involving a company linked to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar only after receiving a complaint. Activist Anjali Damania had called him earlier in the day to inform him about the alleged transaction and that she would file a written complaint with him by November 11.

RTI activist from Pune, Vijay Kumbhar, revealed more details through his social media account concerning the sale deed. A land parcel in Pune's upmarket Mundhwa area was allegedly purchased for about Rs 300 Cr by a company linked to Parth Pawar despite its market rate being "considerably higher". He also claimed that "the stamp duty of Rs 21 crore on this deal was waived".

The Opposition parties were quick to put the government on the mat. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve alleged that the land bought by the private company is worth ₹1,800 crore. He said the company passed a resolution on April 22 to set up an IT park and submitted a proposal to the government despite "having a capital of ₹1 lakh." Danve also alleged that the transaction was completed in just 27 days.

Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a judicial inquiry into the land deal, claiming that it was done in violation of the law. The deal must be investigated transparently. The transaction should be cancelled, and action must be taken against whoever is responsible in this case," Wadettiwar said.

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