In a significant development in the high-profile Mundhwa land deal investigation, the Pune City Police on Friday conducted simultaneous searches at two properties linked to the prime accused, Sheetal Kisanchand Tejwani. The raids targeted her upscale residence in Koregaon Park and her maternal home in the Pimpri Chinchwad area.
Properties Searched in Connection with Alleged Fraud
A senior police officer confirmed the action, stating it was part of the ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities surrounding government land in Mundhwa. Sheetal Tejwani (44), a resident of the plush Oxford Hallmark society in Koregaon Park, was arrested on Wednesday and subsequently remanded in police custody until December 11 by a local court.
The police informed the court that their investigation revolves around whether Tejwani accepted a staggering Rs 300 crore as part of the fraudulent transaction. The searches aimed to seize digital devices like laptops and crucial documents to trace the money trail and establish the modus operandi.
The Core of the Mundhwa Land Scam Case
The First Information Report (FIR), originally registered at Khadak police station and now being investigated by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pune crime branch, alleges serious fraud involving two land parcels in Bopodi and Mundhwa. A common thread linking both cases is suspended tehsildar Suryakant Yewale, accused of issuing wrongful official orders.
The central allegation concerns a 40-acre land parcel in Mundhwa. This land, classified as a 'Mahar Watan' (a hereditary land grant), was in government possession and leased to the Botanical Survey of India. Despite this, a sale deed was executed in May this year in favour of Amadea Enterprises LLP.
This firm has Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son, Parth Pawar, and Digvijay Patil as partners. The police claim the sale was executed without the mandatory state government approval, at a significantly undervalued price, and with an improper waiver of stamp duty.
Tejwani's Alleged Role and Police Allegations
Police have alleged that Sheetal Tejwani, acting as the power of attorney holder for 272 original watandars (heirs), facilitated the sale of this government-held land to Amadea Enterprises. In their court submission, 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. Probe suggests that no money transaction was done with the 272 original watandars, in the land deal."
The case highlights a complex web of alleged corruption involving land records, misuse of official position, and high-value financial transactions. The transfer of the probe to the specialized EOW indicates the seriousness with which authorities are treating the matter. The police custody of Tejwani until December 11 will be used for intensive questioning and evidence collection.
