The prosecution in a major alleged land fraud case in Pune has made a startling revelation, stating that an office boy signed crucial documents as a partner in a firm during a stamp duty adjudication process. This development came to light during a hearing at the Paud magisterial court on Tuesday.
New Revelations from RTI Documents
Public prosecutor Nitin Adagale informed the court that the Bavdhan police require more time to interrogate the key accused, Sheetal Tejwani. This need for extended custody stems from new information provided by RTI activists on December 22 and 23. Adagale stated these documents have made the case "multi-dimensional and more elaborate," necessitating a thorough investigation.
The core allegation involves a conspiracy to register a sale deed for a 40-acre government land parcel in Mundhwa, currently occupied by the Botanical Survey of India on a lease valid until 2036. The alleged scam caused an estimated revenue loss of Rs 21 crore to the state exchequer.
The Office Boy's Role and Custody Extension
Adagale told the court that Tejwani's office boy signed the application, affidavit, and an authorization letter as a partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP. This signing occurred during an adjudication process before the collector of stamps to determine the stamp duty for the controversial Mundhwa land.
The police now need to probe the nature of the transaction between Tejwani and her office boy and the documents exchanged for this purpose. The prosecutor also alleged that Tejwani was not cooperating with the investigation based on the new RTI information and that she paid an amount to two advocates for a document that needs to be seized.
Following these arguments, the court extended Sheetal Tejwani's custodial remand until December 27. The police had arrested her on December 16, and she was initially remanded in police custody until December 23.
Accused and the Alleged Conspiracy
Tejwani, who claims to hold the Power of Attorney (PoA) for the 272 watandars (original holders of the Mahar Watan land in Mundhwa that the government took over), is accused alongside Digvijay Patil, a partner in Amadea Enterprises, and suspended sub-registrar RB Taru.
The police have already arrested Taru, who is currently in judicial custody. A notice has been issued to the other accused, Digvijay Patil. The case revolves around a complex alleged conspiracy to illegally register a sale deed for valuable government land, defrauding the state of significant stamp duty revenue.
