Pune: Land Dispute in Kondhwa Resolved, 29 Acres Restored to Forest Department Following Supreme Court Order
Kondhwa, 13th June 2025: In a major development following a long-standing legal battle, 29 acres of land in Kondhwa have been officially transferred back to the Forest Department by orders of Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, in compliance with a Supreme Court directive. The land records (7/12 extracts) have been updated to reflect the ownership as “Reserved Forest – Government of Maharashtra.”
The dispute centered on 32 acres of forest land that were transferred to the Richie Rich Housing Society in a controversial manner. Legal petitions were filed in both the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of the land allotment. The apex court, in its verdict last Thursday, directed the Maharashtra Government to reclaim and restore the land to the Forest Department.
In response, district authorities conducted an on-site verification and reviewed the legal documentation. Subsequently, Collector Dudi issued formal orders to update the revenue records and transfer ownership of the land back to the Forest Department. The remaining 29 acres, which had been wrongfully recorded under the housing society’s name, have now been corrected in the official land registry.
Out of the total 32 acres, only 3 acres and 20 gunthas were initially marked for de-reservation and transfer. However, due to administrative oversight or manipulation, the entire 32 acres were transferred, which triggered legal scrutiny and criminal complaints against the involved parties.
Although the land was physically under the Forest Department’s control, the revenue records had erroneously shown it under the private society’s name. With the recent Supreme Court ruling and subsequent administrative action, the legal title of the land has been officially returned to the government.
