Revenue dept, police trying to shield Parth Pawar in land deal case: Sena (UBT) leader

Pune | Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare on Friday accused Maharashtra's revenue and police departments of trying to save Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, from action in the controversial Pune land deal case.

A Rs 300-crore land deal in Pune involving a firm linked to Parth Pawar has been embroiled in charges of irregularities, set off a political row and prompted the government to suspend a sub-registrar and order a high-level probe.

An FIR has also been registered against three persons in connection with the transaction.

“Despite the same document (No. 9018/225) being used in the registration process, and the inquiry report specifically mentioning Parth Pawar's signature on the District Industries Board's resolution granting stamp duty exemption, why have the authorities avoided naming him?” she asked.

The Sena (UBT) leader alleged that the revenue department and police were trying to protect him from legal action.

According to an official, 40 acres of ‘Mahar Vatan' land, denoting hereditary landholding to Mahar (scheduled caste) community, in Pune's upmarket Mundhwa area, was sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, represented by its partner Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, for Rs 300 crore, and the stamp duty on it was waived.

Parth Pawar is also a partner in the firm, the official said.

The land was sold through one Shital Tejwani. The property had a total of 272 names, and Tejwani held a power of attorney for the property. Being government land, the plot cannot be sold to a private firm, an official had said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that Parth Pawar owns a company that manufactures country liquor. He claimed that “Ajit Pawar has taken several decisions to benefit his son's company and has kept the excise department with him for the same purpose”