In a case of attempted land acquisition in Pune's Hadapsar, an individual has been arrested for issuing a fraudulent order by forging a letter purportedly signed by Maharashtra Minister Chandrakant Patil.
The accused, identified as Popat Pandurang Shitkal, had sought to claim land belonging to the forest department by submitting a fabricated order allegedly signed by Patil. The Pune Police's Crime Branch Unit Three initiated action in response to this fraudulent act.
The incident came to light in September 2021 when the then Tehsildar of Haveli, Tripti Kolte, filed a complaint with the Khadak police station.
Accused was seeking permanent land transfer
According to available information, Shitkal's forefathers had land transferred to their name, spanning 18 acres in the forest area of Hadapsar. They had requested a permanent land transfer, a request that had been denied by the Collector and Divisional Commissioner. Subsequently, the accused presented his claim to the then Patil, who also rejected it.
Later, the accused fabricated a 16-page order, supposedly issued by Chandrakant Patil, and submitted it to the Haveli Tehsildar. Believing it to be a direct order from the revenue minister, the revenue department promptly initiated the process to implement the order, favoring the accused's claim.
However, when the matter reached the forest department, Sub-Forest Conservator Rahul Patil informed the Tehsildar that the land in question belonged to the forest department and couldn't be transferred. This prompted an investigation into the authenticity of the order, ultimately exposing the forgery.
