Mumbai: Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, on Thursday, dismissed reports claiming that Parth Pawar, the son of former Deputy Chief Minister late Ajit Pawar, has been cleared of involvement in the Mundhwa land scam.
The Minister clarified that the probe committee, led by Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Kharge, has not yet submitted its final report.
His statement comes shortly after media reports suggested the committee had found no evidence linking Parth Pawar to the controversial deal.
“The news regarding a clean chit for Parth Pawar is baseless. We have not received any report yet,” Minister Bawankule said.
He also added that the Kharge Committee has requested an eight-day extension to complete the investigation, citing staff shortages and responsibilities related to the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.
“I will speak on this matter only after the final report is in my hands within the next eight days. It is important that no confusion is created in the public mind regarding such a serious issue,” the Minister said.
The case involves 40 acres of ‘Mahar Vatan’ (Mahar land grants) in Pune’s Mundhwa area.
The controversy erupted in November last year following allegations of a massive undervaluation and procedural bypass.
The Opposition and anti-corruption activists alleged that Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which Parth Pawar reportedly holds a partnership, purchased the land — valued at nearly Rs 1,800 crore — for a mere Rs 300 crore.
The company allegedly secured a stamp duty waiver of Rs 21 crore by claiming the land would be used to develop an IT Park.
As of now, the investigation has led to the suspension and detention of Tehsildar Suryakant Yewle and Sub-Registrar Ravindra Taru.
Additionally, an individual named Sheetal Tejwani has been arrested in connection with the land deal.
The probe is also underway against Digvijay Patil, the co-owner of Amadea Enterprises LLP.
The state government’s handling of the case has drawn sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania.
In a recent social media post on X, Damania asked why the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had only filed a charge sheet against key accused Sheetal Tejwani.
“What about the investigation into Digvijay Patil and Parth Pawar? Is justice selective? Isn’t this a mockery of justice?” Damania asked, demanding transparency in the high-profile probe.
The state now awaits the Kharge Committee’s report, which is expected to be the deciding factor in whether the investigation expands to include the political figures named in the allegations.
Meanwhile, the EOW on January 28 filed the 1,886-page charge sheet in this case, The Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar recently confirmed.
(IANS)
