FIR against 37 for duping police department among others in Rs 300 crore land scam in Nashik

According to the police, the land on which the police department has been on lease since 1990 was sold by an organization called Nashik Diocesan Council (NDC). Now it has been surfaced that the original land belongs to Nashik Diocesan Trust Association (NDTA), and ‘NDC’ misused its name to falsely lease or sell it without having any ownership rights and for making wrongful gains.

According to the Nashik police, the old police commissioner office was functioning from the said land since the establishment of the Nashik city police force. It was shifted to the Gangapur Road area in 2014. Currently, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-1, the traffic department, along with a private school and other offices, are functioning from the six-acre land which is in question.

An inquiry by the DCP office was going on regarding the fraud in the land issue since December 16, 2024, looking into the sale of the land by the trustees of the Nashik Diocesan Council (NDC). The police on Wednesday registered a suo-motu FIR at the Sarkarwada police station against more than 37 suspects, including trustees, buyers and others.

The original land belongs to the Nashik Diocesan Trust Association (NDTA). Later, some directors and members of the ‘NDTA’ registered the organisation in the name of the company ‘Nashik Diocesan Council’ on July 13, 1954. The land was previously owned by ‘The Church Missionary Trust Association Ltd. London’. Over time, the company transferred all its land to the ‘NDTA’ on 8 June 1949, 12 August 1949 and 14 March, 1955.

They (accused people) allegedly deliberately submitted false information to the Charity Commissioner’s Office stating that the land owned by NDTA were owned by NDC, thereby obtaining an order to sell the plots and made wrongful gains, states the police complaint.

The ‘NDTA’ company is the original owner of the relevant plot. In 2001, the accused illegally bought and sold the relevant plots. In this regard, ‘NTDA’ had filed a complaint with the Deputy Registrar. A detailed report of the Land Survey Department was obtained. Now, the Deputy Registrar has transferred the relevant plots to the name of ‘NDTA’, which is the original owner. Accordingly, a case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, said a senior police officer from Nashik.

Assistant police inspector Tushar Devre, 37, who is the complainant in the case, has stated in the FIR that since 1990, the property in the possession of the police department is in the name of the Nashik Diocesan Trust Association Pvt Ltd Company. Despite knowing this, the accused trustees of the Nashik Diocesan Council, the seller and the person who gave consent to the sale deed and all other related accused, have committed a criminal conspiracy by preparing forged documents, knowingly preparing false documents on the basis of false information and submitted them to the government office and defrauded the police commissioner, Nashik by mutual collusion and embezzling the rent amount of the said property.

Also, even though the said property was in the possession of the police commissioner’s office, Nashik, the accused people by misleading the government, the revenue, home, urban development, law and justice departments of the government, defrauded the Nashik Diocesan Trust Association Pvt. Ltd, the officer stated.

The company owned properties worth an estimated Rs 300 crore were sold for personal gain and all the other accused involved embezzled the said properties and government money (rent money), the FIR stated.

(Filed by Vijay Kumar Yadav)