Major Twist in Mohammadwadi Land Case: Forgery Charges Added as Pune Police EOW Opposes Builder Rajendra Goel’s Bail

Pune, 5th March 2026: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pune City Police has moved to block the anticipatory bail applications of several prominent developers involved in a massive real estate fraud worth approximately ₹37.48 crores. The investigation revolves around a development project in Mohammadwadi, where the accused allegedly used forged documents and fraudulent land deals to deceive investors.

The Accused and the Allegations

The primary accused in the case is Vallabh Lalji Patel, along with seven others associated with the firm “Goyal, Patel, and Thakwani Developers.”

The list of accused includes:
Rajendra Sitaram Goel
Jayesh Purushottam Patel
Vipul Vallabh Patel
Punam Roofing Pvt. Ltd. (Directors: Vallabhbhai Patel and Purushottam Patel)
Chetan Purushottam Patel
Satyen Vallabh Patel
Jignesh Vallabh Patel

The complainant, Vishwajit Subhash Jhaver (56) of Marvel Realtors, alleges that the fraud has been ongoing since 2011.

Legal Framework: BNS Sections Applied

The case has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Following a supplementary statement from the complainant regarding the exchange of forged documents, the police have officially added two significant new sections to the charge sheet:

Section 316(5): Criminal breach of trust by a public servant, or by banker, merchant, or agent.
Section 318(4): Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.
Section 61(2): Criminal conspiracy.

Section 336(3) [NEW]: Relating to the forgery of valuable security or a will, specifically applied here due to the alleged fabrication of government ULC orders.

Section 340(2) [NEW]: Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record, specifically regarding the presentation of fake Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) documents as authentic to the complainant.

Modus Operandi and Forgery Details

According to the police report submitted by Assistant Police Inspector Santosh Dange, the accused lured the complainant with promises of high returns from a partnership in a land development project in Mohammadwadi.

Financial Misappropriation: The complainant reportedly paid ₹22 crores for land development and invested an additional ₹15.48 crores into the project. However, the accused allegedly failed to provide clear land titles or set up the agreed-upon escrow accounts.

The ULC Scam: Investigation into the “Urban Land Ceiling” (ULC) orders revealed they were counterfeit. The police discovered that the ULC orders provided by the developers (specifically No. ULC/Desk-VII/1999) were issued under names of individuals who were not the owners at the time, or were duplicated for different land parcels.

Third-Party Interests: Despite receiving full payment, the accused allegedly sold portions of the land to third parties (including one Pramod Bhangire) without consent, creating illegal “third-party interests” to obstruct the complainant’s development rights.

Police Demand Custodial Interrogation

The EOW has requested the District and Sessions Court at Shivajinagar to reject the bail applications, citing:

Scale of Fraud: While the current cheating amount is ₹37.48 crores, the market value of the land is estimated at ₹600 crores.

Money Trail: The ₹22 crores paid by the complainant is missing from the firm’s official bank accounts at Axis Bank and DB Bank; police need to determine where it was diverted.

Documentary Evidence: Police have already seized partnership deeds, bank statements, and land records (7/12 extracts) but require custody to uncover the source of the forged ULC orders.

The court’s decision is awaited as the EOW continues its probe into the financial trails and the network of accomplices involved in this multi-crore scam.