Pune land deal linked to Parth Pawar: Probe panel set up, will submit report in one month

Mumbai, Nov 7 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Friday formed a high-level committee to probe alleged irregularities in a land transaction in Pune linked to a firm in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth is a partner.

A Rs 300 crore deal for the sale of a 40 acre plot in upscale Mundhwa area to Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a partner, has triggered a political slugfest since the land belongs to the government and the requisite stamp duty was also waived. Moreover, Opposition parties alleged the land in question was worth Rs 1800 crore.

According to an order issued by the state Revenue and Forest Department, the committee under Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge will inquire into the "unauthorised registration of documents" related to Survey No. 88 in Mouje Mundhwa in Pune city and determine whether the transaction caused any financial loss to the state exchequer.

The committee shall submit its report within one month, the resolution said.

The probe committee is headed by Kharge, with Divisional Commissioner of Pune, Inspector General of Registration and Stamps (Pune), Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, District Collector of Pune, and Joint Secretary (Stamps) in the Revenue Department as members.

It will examine how the land deal occurred, identify officials or individuals responsible for any procedural violations, recommend corrective measures and also suggest ways to prevent such irregularities in future, officials said.

Speaking to reporters this evening, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said his son Parth and his business partner were not aware the Pune land which their company purchased belonged to the government.

A committee appointed by the government to probe the Rs 300 crore deal will submit its report within a month, Ajit Pawar said, adding the registration of documents related to the deal was cancelled, and affidavit to this effect has been submitted to the authorities. PTI ND BNM