Pune City Police, investigating alleged irregularities in a high-value land transaction in Mundhwa, informed a local court on Thursday that they are probing whether the accused, Sheetal Tejwani, accepted the Rs 300 crore payment from the deal and the manner in which it was done. The police have also revealed that none of the original 272 beneficiaries, the holders of the Mahar Watan land, received any money from the controversial sale.
Court Hears Details of the Alleged Fraud
The police made these submissions while seeking custodial remand for Sheetal Tejwani (44), who was arrested on Wednesday. Tejwani, who held the power of attorney for the 272 original watandars of the Mahar watan land in Mundhwa, facilitated its sale to Amadea Enterprises LLP. Notably, Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is a partner in this firm.
The case revolves around the sale of land that was classified as Mahar Watan land—a hereditary grant—and was actually in the possession of the government, leased to the Botanical Survey of India. The police allege the sale to the private firm was executed without the mandatory approval from the state government.
After hearing arguments, the court remanded Sheetal Tejwani to police custody until December 11. The prosecution argued that she was not cooperating with the investigation, while her defense counsel contended that her arrest was illegal.
Focus on the Rs 300 Crore Transaction and Market Value
In their remand application, the police stated, "In spite of the land being in the possession of the government, Tejwani has tried to show that it was still a Mahar watan and had then executed the sale of the land." They emphasized the need to investigate the broader criminal conspiracy and identify other individuals involved.
A critical point of the probe is the financial transaction. The police told the court that the sale deed mentions a ready reckoner value of Rs 300 crores. However, investigators suspect the actual market value could be four to five times higher. The remand plea explicitly states the intention to investigate whether Tejwani accepted any amount over and above the documented ready reckoner price.
The investigating officer further elaborated, "The accused has sold the government land for Rs 300 crores, as per the sale deed. We want to investigate whether she has accepted the said amount and in what way." The police also sought custody to seize digital devices like laptops, citing the seriousness of the alleged crime.
History of Rejected Applications and Alleged Misrepresentation
The police outlined a history of attempts by Tejwani to gain control of the land. They informed the court that in 2013, she applied to the Revenue Minister's office on behalf of some watandars, seeking regrant of the land under the Bombay Hereditary Offices Act, 1874. This application was rejected in September 2013, a decision upheld by the High Court after Tejwani challenged it.
Undeterred, Tejwani moved another application in 2016, which remained pending until 2020. Subsequent writ petitions filed in the High Court in 2020 and 2021 were also rejected. Despite these legal setbacks, the police allege that in November 2020, Tejwani filed an application with the Pune Additional Collector falsely stating that the land had been regranted to the original watandars, when no such order existed.
Ultimately, acting as the power of attorney holder, Tejwani sold the 40-acre government land to Digvijay Patil, a partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP. The police have framed this act as defrauding the government. The investigation continues to unravel the flow of the Rs 300 crore and the exact nature of the alleged conspiracy.
