Pune News: Government Land in Tathawade Sold for Rs 33 Crore, FIR Registered Against 26 Persons
Pimpri-Chinchwad: Days after the Mundhwa land scam came to light, Pune district authorities have uncovered another alleged illegal transfer—this time involving 15 acres and 32 gunthas (6.32 hectares) of government-owned land in Tathawade, near Wakad. The land belongs to the Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Department, yet a registered sale deed was executed using outdated land records.
According to officials, the land in question is clearly recorded as government property, but the transaction was carried out by attaching old 7/12 extracts and outdated revenue documents. Following a complaint, a case has been registered against 26 individuals, including the joint sub-registrar who approved the deed and those identified as buyers and sellers.
26 Accused After Complaint Filed
The FIR was lodged by Dr Amol Sharad Aher, who serves as the acting farm manager at the Government Animal Breeding Centre in Tathawade. Based on his complaint, police have named 26 accused, among them purchasers Kapil Chhotam Fakir and Sayyed Faiyyaz Meer Azimuddin, and Joint Sub-Registrar Vidya Shankar Bade-Sangale.
The police said the alleged fraudulent sale of Survey No. 20 came to notice during a routine departmental inspection earlier this month. Those involved in the sale claimed that the property had originally belonged to Heramb Pandharinath Gupchup, but official revenue entries clearly state: “Possession—Commissioner, Animal Husbandry; Sale/Purchase prohibited without prior government approval.”
Despite this restriction, the land was sold for ₹33 crore, with the deed being registered on 9 January 2025 at the Haveli-17 Sub-Registrar Office in Dapodi.
Why the Sale Is Considered Illegal
A departmental officer said they immediately alerted Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr Chandrakant Pulkundwar after discovering the registered deal. The Divisional Commissioner subsequently directed the Registration and Stamp Department to verify the documents.
As per the FIR, the complainant stated that in 2023, descendants of the alleged former landowner executed an agreement for sale for the same 15-acre plot and simultaneously applied to the Tehsildar for mutation of their names. The Tehsildar rejected the plea, ruling that the land belonged to the Animal Husbandry Department. Although the family challenged this decision in the Bombay High Court, the court—while pointing out procedural lapses—did not issue a conclusive order on ownership.
Because no explicit ruling changed the ownership status, the department’s name remained on the current 7/12 extract. However, the accused allegedly used the 2023 extract—which did not reflect subsequent notations—to proceed with the registration in January 2025. Once the Animal Husbandry Department noticed the registered deed, they approached police seeking action for fraud and conspiracy.
‘Case Registered, Probe Underway’
Speaking to reporters, complainant Dr Amol Aher said, “The department had no information that this 6.32 hectares of government land was sold. We came across the deed only during an inspection. A request has already been submitted to the Inspector General of Registration to annul the transaction.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pimpri Division) Sachin Hire confirmed that the case involves cheating and forgery. “The land is government property, and the original owner, Heramb Gupchup, passed away decades ago. We have registered a case against his descendants who executed the sale, the sub-registrar from the Haveli-17 office, the buyers and all parties connected to the deal. In total, 26 individuals have been booked,” he said.
Hire added that Senior Police Inspector Mahadev Koli from Dapodi Police Station will lead the investigation. “Once government offices reopen on Monday, our team will conduct searches at the Haveli-17 Sub-Registrar Office as part of the inquiry,” he said.
