Police probe whether Sheetal Tejwani accepted Rs 300 crore from land deal and in what way

After her arrest on Wednesday, Tejwani (44) was produced before a court on Thursday afternoon Pune where the police sought her 14 day police custody for further interrogation into her role in the controversial land deal. Prosecution argued that Tejwani was not cooperating with the investigation. The Defence lawyer for Tejwani argued that the police had followed all the necessary procedures for her arrest and submitted to court that her arrest was illegal. After hearing arguments from prosecution and defence, the court remanded Tejwani to police custody till December 11. The land parcel in Mundhwa which was earlier a Mahar Watan — a hereditary land grant — had been in possession of the government and was leased to the Botanical Survey of India when its sale deed was executed in May earlier this year.

Rs 300 crore payment focus of probe

While seeking Tejwani’s custodial remand, the police submitted to court, “In spite of the land being in the possession of the government, Tejwani has tried to show that it was still a Mahar watan and had then executed the sale of the land. We want to investigate who else was involved in this criminal conspiracy. Probe suggests that no money transaction was done with the 272 original watandars, in the land deal that was executed, we want to question her about that.”

The remand application further states, “In the sale deed it is mentioned that the ready reckoner value of the land is Rs 300 crores. However it is likely that the market value of the land is four to five times the ready reckoner value. That is why we want to investigate whether she has accepted any amount in addition to the ready reckoner price.”

The investigation officer further said, “The accused (Tejwani) has sold the government land for Rs 300 crores, as per the sale deed. We want to investigate whether she has accepted the said amount and in what way. Considering the seriousness of the crime, it is likely that she has used digital devices like a laptop. We want to seize these devices from her.”

Tejwani made multiple attempts to seek regrant of the land

Police told the court, “In 2013, Tejwani had moved an application to the office of Revenue Minister of Maharashtra on behalf of a section of original watandars, seeking regrant of the land under the provisions of Bombay Hereditary Offices Act, 1874. This application was rejected in September 2013. Tejwani then moved the High Court against the September 2013 order of the Revenue Minister. The High Court ruled that it was not necessary to interfere with the order of the Revenue Minister.”

The police further told the court, “In 2016, Tejwani again moved an application to the Revenue Minister. This application remained pending till 2020. Tejwani filed a writ petition in HC in this regard in 2020 and again in 2021. The HC had then rejected the plea. In spite of this, in November 2020, Tejwani filed an application to the Additional Collector, Pune stating that the said land had been regranted to its original watandars, when no such order was passed.”

The police further said, “Tejwani as power of attorney holder for 272 watandars, sold the 40 acre land in government possession to Digvijay Patil, a partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP and has thus defrauded the government.”