Another Pune land 'scam': Official suspended for sale of Animal Husbandry dept's 15-acre plot

Pune, Nov 13 (PTI) The Inspector General Registration (IGR) has suspended an official and ordered a high-level probe after a 15-acre government plot in Pune district belonging to the Animal Husbandry Department was allegedly sold in violation of state rules.

The land located in Tathawade in Pimpri Chinchwad was sold for Rs 33 crore despite it being classified as non-transferable, officials said on Thursday.

"The property cannot be sold without prior approval from the state government. The IGR suspended Vidya Shankar Bade (Sangle), Senior Clerk and In-charge Sub-Registrar (Class II) of Haveli No. 17. A joint inquiry by the Deputy Inspector General of Registration and Stamps and the District Registrar found Bade had registered the sale deed despite clear restrictions on transfer," an official said.

Bade allegedly accepted an outdated 7/12 extract from June 2023, which did not reflect the land's ownership status, and failed to verify the updated record from February 2025 that listed the Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry Department as the lawful owner, he added quoting from the inquiry report.

Bade also used the "skip" or "keep option" in the registration software to bypass verification safeguards.

The sale deed was executed on January 9, 2025 and was processed without approvals from the Revenue or Animal Husbandry Departments, the official said.

"The act is of a serious nature and continuation in service would adversely impact the inquiry," the suspension order stated.

During suspension, Bade has been attached to the Principal Stamps Office, Mumbai, and barred from leaving headquarters without permission.

A departmental inquiry has been initiated to ascertain whether others were involved and to probe the undervaluation of the land, the official added.

Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry department farm manager Dr Amol Aher told PTI he has filed a complaint application with Pimpri Chinchwad police against 26 people, including the those who sold the land and those who purchased the land by executing the sale deed.

The development comes days after irregularities surfaced in separate land transactions at Mundhwa and Bopodi in the district.

Two FIRs have already been registered in the Mundhwa case, which allegedly involves a company linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar.

IGR has already suspended a sub registrar in Mundhwa land deal case and a tehsildar in Bopodi land deal case. PTI SPK BNM