‘Bogus sale deed, forgery’: Court rejects Eknath Khadse, family members’ discharge plea in ED’s land deal case

The court directed the three to appear “without fail” on December 18 before it for framing of charges, clearing the way for the trial. The court passed order on discharge applications filed by the three in the ED case, registered separately in October 2020.

The court had last week also rejected their discharge pleas in connection with predicate offence registered by Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Acting on Bombay High Court directives, the ACB in April, 2017 booked Khadse, Mandakini, Chaudhari and others on a complaint by Pune developer Hemant Gawande at Bund Garden police station. Gawande in his May, 2016 complaint had alleged that Khadse misused his power as a minister to facilitate purchase of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)-owned Bhosari land by Mandakani and Chaudhari for Rs 3.75 crore, against the market price of Rs 40 crore.

The ACB had alleged the land originally belonged to family of one Abbas Ukani and Khadse used his position as Revenue Minister to purchase it and claim compensation. The agency had said the sale deed was done despite the land being in MIDC’s possession, which it had acquired for Industrial development.

“There is ample evidence to show that a meeting (to discuss acquisition of land) was held by accused no. 1 (Eknath Khadse) and he had issued directions to the executives either to give back the land to the owner or pay compensation. The letter itself denotes mens rea (criminal intention) of the accused. Firstly, it was issued without authority and secondly, the directions were given with an intention to grab the huge amount of compensation, which was already agreed upon by the terms of agreement,” the special court noted in its order. “The additions (in the letter) indicate culpable mind of accused no.1 (Eknath Khadse) and certainly, it is a prima facie case of forgery,” the special judge noted.

The court further observed “the accused hatched a conspiracy and got executed sham and bogus sale deed with an intention to grab huge amount of compensation” and that the fund raised to pay for the sale deed “amounts to money laundering”.