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Pune land deal | Will approach Amit Shah if CM fails to ask Ajit to step down: Activist Anjali Damania

NCP says await for probe committee report

Son of Ajit Pawar owns Amadea Enterprises LLP (file)

Activist Anjali Damania on Wednesday reiterated her demand that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ask Ajit Pawar to resign as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister in view of his son’s alleged involvement in the Rs 300 crore Mundhwa land deal. NCP said the state government has already appointed a committee to probe the entire deal and that the truth will come out of it.

“If the Chief Minister fails to ask Ajit Pawar to step down, then I will approach the Union Home Minister to press my demand,” Damania added.

Parth Pawar, the elder son of Ajit Pawar, owns Amadea Enterprises LLP, which purchased the 40 acre government land in Mundhwa area of Pune for Rs 300 crore when its actually market value was stated to be Rs 1,800 crore. Instead of paying Rs 21 crore as stamp duty executing the sale agreeement, the firm paid only Rs 500 after seeking exemption.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Damania said she has sent all relevant proof in connection to the land deal to Shah’s office. “I am going to seek his appointment… If I do not get the appointment, I will sit outside his office,” she said.

Damania alleged that Amadea Enterprises had lied at every stage. “The firm claimed that it wanted to do data mining at the land site. Through it, the company said it would provide services to the IT sector and cyber security. This was mentioned in the lease deed. The company had said that its investment was of Rs 98 lakh and therefore a Letter of Intent should be provided. After getting the Letter of Intent, the firm sought exemption on stamp duty. It finally paid only Rs 500 stamp duty when they should have actually paid Rs 21 crore.”

Damania also targeted Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi. “The Mundhwa land was sold fraudulently to Amadea Enterprises. The district collector knew about it but did not take any action,” she said.
Damania said the central government had asked the collector to immediately intervene in the matter.

“The government had told him, ‘You should immediately intervene in this matter,’ however, the district collector did nothing,” she alleged.

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When asked about the activist’s allegations, the collector said, “We have pro-actively taken steps in this matter. After the Botanical Garden of India had informed us that the tehsildar had told them to vacate their land and hand it over to the firm, we had immediately intervened in this matter and action was proposed against the tehsildar.”

Damania again reiterated her demand that the Special Investigation Team formed by the state government should be dissolved as five of its six members belong to Pune where Ajit Pawar is the guardian minister.

Reacting to the allegations made by Damania, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare told The Indian Express, “The Deputy Chief Minister has already clarified this matter… Besides, the state government has already appointed a committee to probe the matter. Let the truth come out… The activist has a right to make a demand.”

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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