Pune land deal row: Police question accused Digvijay Patil

Pune, Dec 15 (PTI) Digvijay Patil, a partner in a company linked to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar, appeared before the police in Pune on Monday for questioning in a controversial land deal case, officials said.

A Rs 300-crore deal to sell a 40-acre land parcel in the prime Mundhwa area of Pune to Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Patil and Parth Pawar are partners, came under scrutiny after it was found that the land belongs to the government and the firm was exempted from paying the stamp duty of Rs 21 crore.

Following the controversy, the Bavdhan police at Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune district registered a case against Digvijay Patil, Shital Tejwani, who held the power of attorney, and sub-registrar Ravindra Taru. Parth Pawar was not named in the FIR.

Another case in connection with the land deal had been registered against Patil, Tejwani and tehsilar Suryakant Yeola by the Pune city police, and their Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is investigating it.

The Bavdhan police had summoned Patil for questioning in the case.

"Patil arrived at the police station today and is currently being questioned in the land deal case," an official from Bavdhan police station said.

"Patil's statement is being recorded since morning," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2), Pimpri Chinchwad, Vishal Gaikwad told reporters.

Tejwani was arrested by the Pune police's EOW on December 3. She held the power of attorney on behalf of the original landowners. Tejwani, sub-registrar Taru and the other accused are being investigated for allegedly executing the sale deed of the 40-acre government land in Mundhwa.

The Bavdhan police last week arrested Taru, who allegedly facilitated the deal despite knowing that the said land could not be sold as it belonged to the government.

Parth Pawar, who is a major partner in the Amadea Enterprises LLP, was not been made an accused in the case because he had not signed the sale deed, officials earlier said. PTI SPK GK