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Mundhwa land deal: Parth Pawar’s firm appeals against Rs 21-cr stamp duty and fine; hearing February 16 onwards

In December, an official told The Indian Express that in addition to 7 per cent stamp duty (Rs 21 crore), a 1 percent monthly penalty from May was also applicable for the late payment.

2 min readFeb 11, 2026 09:31 AM IST

The Rs 300-crore transaction for the 44-acre land was carried out in May but a stamp duty of just Rs 500 was paid instead of the expected amount of Rs 21 crore. (file photo of Parth Pawar)

Parth Pawar’s firm Amadea Enterprises LLP has appealed against the Rs 21 crore stamp duty plus delay fine on its controversial purchase of the 44-acre land parcel in Pune’s Mundhwa. The appeal has been filed the previous week and the hearing is scheduled to be held from February 16 onwards, Dharmadev Mainkar, Deputy Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps (DIG) Pune, told The Indian Express.

The Rs 300-crore transaction for the 44-acre land was carried out in May but a stamp duty of just Rs 500 was paid instead of the expected amount of Rs 21 crore. The appeal is against the December 10 decision by the Joint District Registrar to levy the full stamp duty and a delay fine. The appeal has been filed with the Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps (IGR).

“There might be more hearing after the first one if extensions are sought. After the final hearing, it takes a month or two for the decision,” said Mainkar, adding that the department had 4,000 such cases pending with it. He also clarified that the previous decision remains in force till the appellate authority issues a stay or revokes it.

In December, an official told The Indian Express that in addition to 7 per cent stamp duty (Rs 21 crore), a 1 percent monthly penalty from May was also applicable for the late payment. This original concession given in May was supposedly based on a letter of intent by the general manager at Pune District Industries Centre. Tehsildar Suryakant Yewale and Sub-registrar Ravindra Taru have been suspended for the transaction with Taru even being arrested by Pune police.

The land transaction was conducted between Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth Pawar is a director, and Sheetaj Tejwani, who held power of attorney on behalf of the original 272 watandars of the Mahar Watan land. To make matters worse, the land was actually in possession of the state government which had leased it to the Botanical Survey of India, which currently operates a conservation garden there. Sheetaj Tejwani has also been arrested by the Pune police.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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