Pune police question Parth Pawar’s partner Digvijay Patil in Mundhwa land deal probe

The Pune Police’s EOW has questioned Digvijay Patil, partner of Parth Pawar, in the Mundhwa land deal probe involving the sale of Mahar Watan land without mandatory state approval. Power of attorney holder Sheetal Tejwani has been arrested, while a separate FIR also names Patil and suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Taru.

The EOW arrested Sheetal Tejwani, power of attorney holder for a controversial Mahar Watan land sale in Pune. (File)

The Pune City Police, whose Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is probing alleged irregularities in the Mundhwa land deal, on Wednesday said they have questioned Digvijay Patil, partner of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar in Amadea Enterprises LLP, which is at the centre of the controversial transaction.

The land deal has been embroiled in controversy as the land in Mundhwa, which falls under the category of Mahar Watan land and was leased to the Botanical Survey of India, was sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP without the mandatory approval of the state government.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that Patil was questioned by the EOW on December 1. Senior officials monitoring the probe said Patil is likely to be questioned again as part of the investigation. Patil is a relative of Parth Pawar.

The Pune City Police said the FIR registered at Khadak police station, which was later transferred to the EOW, pertains to alleged irregularities involving two separate land parcels in Bopodi and Mundhwa. Both cases are linked by a common factor- suspended tehsildar Suryakant Yewale, who is accused of issuing wrongful orders in both matters. The Mundhwa land parcel, which was earlier Mahar Watan which is a hereditary land grant had been in government possession and was leased to the Botanical Survey of India when its sale deed was executed in May this year.

It is alleged that Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar and Digvijay Patil are partners, purchased 40 acres of land in the prime Mundhwa survey jurisdiction of Pune. As per rules, this category of land cannot be sold without prior approval from the state government. It is further alleged that the sale was executed at a significantly lower price and with a waiver of stamp duty.

Sheetal Tejwani, who held the power of attorney for the original 272 watandars of the Mahar Watan land in Mundhwa for its sale to Amadea Enterprises LLP, was questioned multiple times by the EOW before she was arrested on Wednesday.

A separate FIR has also been registered in connection with the Mundhwa land parcel at Bavdhan police station under the Pimpri-Chinchwad police against Digvijay Patil, Tejwani and Ravindra Taru, the now-suspended sub-registrar who registered the deal in May this year.

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