Pune land deal: In two letters in a month, tehsildar reiterated BSI eviction from Koregaon Park
The letter said, “...it was explicitly stated (in point 13) that the lease shall stand terminated upon deposit of the occupancy price by the original farmers, requiring immediate vacating of the land by the lessee.”
The now suspended Pune tehsildar, Suryakant Yewale, had reiterated the need to evict Botanical Survey of India (BSI) from the 44 acre plot in Koregaon Park in two letters within a month. The Mahar Watan plot, under the scanner for a controversial Rs 300 crore deal between Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar’s firm and a person holding the power of attorney of the original 272 watandars, is on lease to the BSI till 2038 by the government.
Yewale was suspended for his involvement in the deal. District Collector Jitendra Dudi has termed the deal illegal and as going against the rules.
Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Parth Pawar holds 99 per cent stake, wrote a letter to the tehsildar on May 26 informing him that the original farmers had deposited the occupancy price in December 2024. The firm claimed that according to point number 13 of the “lease deed”, the Botanical Survey of India should be asked to vacate this land.
The letter said, “…it was explicitly stated (in point 13) that the lease shall stand terminated upon deposit of the occupancy price by the original farmers, requiring immediate vacating of the land by the lessee.”
Based on this letter by Amadea Enterprises LLP, the tehsildar on June 9 wrote to the BSI asking them to vacate the said plot of land. The tehsildar reiterated Amadea’s point — as mentioned in point 13 of the lease deed, as the original watandars had paid the occupancy price, the land had to be vacated.
An order from the 1999 district collector of Pune mentions point number 13 as, “The land at survey number 88, Mundhwa is a grant land under 6‘B’ and the related original owners of the land have requested a regrant of the land. No final decision has been taken on this and the decision taken will be binding on the Botanical Survey of India.”
Dudi told The Indian Express that Amadea’s view was a misrepresentation of point 13, which does not grant the original watandars the right to deposit money and demand a regrant of the land.
Story continues below this ad
Property law expert advocate Yuvraj Narvankar, who practices at the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court of India, told The Indian Express, “Clause 13 of the lease deed, which is being relied upon to claim the land, does not contemplate automatic termination of a lease. And this (regrant) is again subject to the fulfilment of all the conditions of a regrant. The letter by the tehsildar to the Botanical Survey of India reiterates what the company said without verifying the correctness of it. Apparently, there doesn’t seem to be an independent application of mind by the government authority (Tehsildar). Unless all the formalities are completed, such kind of a thing is too big to give away.”
Following this, BSI wrote to the District Collector on June 16 requesting urgent intervention over the eviction notice they had received from the Tehsildar. The letter said that on July 16, a “group of individuals” arrived at the BSI garden in Koregaon park and “demanded that the premises be vacated immediately”.
On June 26, the collector’s office then wrote to the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Pune sub-division, seeking a detailed inquiry into BSI’s letter and a reply filed in 24 hours. On July 14, the SDO Vithal Joshi wrote to the tehsildar demanding a detailed inquiry into the matter and a reply within 24 hours with related paperwork.
On the same day, July 14, Yewale replied to the SDO’s letter reiterating the need for the eviction based on the same point number 13. Yewale wrote that accordingly, it was imperative that the collector’s office serve notice to BSI for the same.
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
