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Pune land scam row: Ajit Pawar defends son Parth Pawar, blames sub-registrar for registering sale deed

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the allegations against Parth Pawar are politically motivated to defame his family.

A probe ordered by CM Fadnavis is underway to uncover the facts.

Ajit Pawar defended son Parth in the Pune land deal case, blaming the sub-registrar for the alleged irregularities and calling the allegations politically driven. (Express Photograph by Arul Horizon)

As Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar is currently embroiled in a row involving an alleged land scam in Pune, his father defended him Sunday and blamed the sub-registrar who registered the sale deed.

”His father has put forth his stand,” said Ajit Pawar when reporters asked him in his hometown, Baramati, as to why Parth was not coming forward and clearing the air.

Blaming the sub-registrar who registered the sale deed, he said, ”How did the individual in the sub-registrar’s office register the deed? What prompted him to register and do the wrong job? We will come to know this through the probe,” he said.

The State Revenue Department has already suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Taru for alleged irregularities in the registration process of the 44-acre Mahar Watan land, whose market value is stated to be over Rs 1,800 crore. The land was purchased by Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar is a party. The sub-registrar is also accused of waiving the Rs 21-crore stamp duty on the Rs 300-crore deal.

Hinting that the allegations were politically motivated, Ajit Pawar said,” When elections approach, these kinds of allegations are made against us.”

When the alleged land scam first came to light, Ajit Pawar had stated that he had heard something about it three to four months prior and had assured that nothing wrong would be done..

”In 2009, too, similar allegations of a Rs 70,000-crore scam were made. Now, even after 15 years, no one has been able to provide proof, and nothing has happened. This only leads to our defamation. We can understand if anyone has done anything wrong and then allegations are made. But despite ensuring transparency, working for the people throughout the day, following the Constitution, adhering to all laws, they keep making allegations from morning to evening,” he said.

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Ajit Pawar said facts will come to light through the probe ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. ”FIR has been lodged against those involved. A committee appointed by the Chief Minister is probing the matter,” he said.

The Deputy CM stated that since he began his political career, he has consistently ensured that he does not engage in any wrongdoing. ”I want to repeat. Whether it is my family members or close associates seeking to have any illegal work done, I appeal to officials to never listen to them. They should not fall prey to any pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rohit Pawar, MLA belonging to NCP (SP) and cousin of Parth, said, “If an individual is a relative of a person in power or from the Opposition and if he is indulging in any wrong thing, the facts should be brought before the people. But we must remember that there is not one person involved in this. There is a long chain. There are some officers. We need to find out how the officers behave and why they give preference to certain people and ignore the poor.”

As for Baramati MP Supriya Sule’s support to Parth Pawar, Rohit said, “While taking the stand, Supriya Sule, who is a mother herself, turned emotional initially, but later she took a proper stand. Sharad Pawar has already articulated our stand.”

Despite repeated calls, Parth Pawar has refused to respond.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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