Pune Sessions Court Denies Bail Applications in High-Value Stamp Duty Evasion Case
The court of Additional Sessions Judge DP Ragit has firmly rejected the bail applications of power-of-attorney holder Sheetal Tejwani and suspended sub registrar Ravindra B Taru. This decision pertains to the illegal stamp duty waiver on the registration of a sale deed for a 40-acre government land parcel in Mundhwa, Pune.
Court Confirms Bail Rejection Status
A case update on the district court's official website on Monday confirmed that both bail pleas were rejected on February 16. District Government Pleader Pramod Bombatkar informed TOI that "a full text of the court's order is expected in due course of time."
Tejwani's legal representative, Deepali Kedar, stated, "The bail was declined. We believe the merits of the case and the chargesheet filed by the investigating agencies need to be appreciated properly. It is our case that the matter is more of a revenue violation. We have full faith in the higher judiciary and are confident that the matter will receive fair and objective consideration in accordance with law."
Details of the Alleged Offense
Taru stands accused of conspiring with Tejwani and another suspect to register the sale deed on May 20, 2025. The alleged crime involves waiving a 7% stamp duty, which amounts to approximately Rs 21 crore for a declared land deal consideration of Rs 300 crore. This action reportedly caused significant revenue loss to the state government.
Tejwani executed the sale deed on behalf of 272 watandars, who were the original holders of the Mahar Watan land before its takeover by the state government following the abolition of the Mahar Watan system. The deed was executed in favor of Digvijay Patil, one of the partners in Amadea Enterprises LLP, which intended to construct a data center at the site.
Political Connections and Current Status
Former deputy chief minister late Ajit Pawar's son, Parth, is another partner in Amadea Enterprises. However, Parth was not named in the FIR registered on November 6, 2025, by the Bavdhan police. This registration followed a complaint by joint district registrar and stamp duty collector Santosh Hingane.
Currently, the land remains in the possession of the Botanical Survey of India under a lease agreement valid until 2038. Patil's anticipatory bail application is pending before the sessions court, with a hearing scheduled for February 18.
Previous Court Decisions and Legal Context
On January 1, a magisterial court in Paud rejected Taru's bail application, noting, "The allegations indicated that despite clear indicators of government ownership and substantial stamp duty liability, Taru proceeded to register the document by charging a nominal amount, i.e., stamp paper of 500, resulting in an alleged loss of several crores of rupees to the state. Such acts, at this prima facie stage, cannot be brushed aside as mere inadvertent or clerical mistakes."
The same court had previously rejected Tejwani's bail plea on January 13. Following these rejections, both individuals moved to the sessions court seeking bail relief, which has now been denied by Judge Ragit.
This case highlights significant concerns regarding revenue violations and the proper administration of government land transactions. The court's decision underscores the seriousness with which such allegations are being treated, particularly when they involve substantial financial implications for state resources.
