Major Crackdown on Pune Land Records Manipulation
In a significant administrative action, fifteen revenue officials from Pune district, including three deputy collectors, have been placed on compulsory leave following a comprehensive government investigation into the illegal manipulation of land records. This decisive move comes after a probe uncovered systematic misuse of legal provisions to alter property ownership rights.
Investigation Uncovers Serious Violations
The investigation, conducted by a committee led by Nashik divisional commissioner Pravin Gedam, examined an astonishing 38,027 complaints and scrutinized 2,337 cases in meticulous detail. The committee's findings revealed that 424 orders were passed using improper administrative procedures, with violations categorized into three distinct tiers based on severity.
Confirming the disciplinary action, Pune collector Jitendra Dudi stated, "Orders have been issued, and the concerned officials have been sent on compulsory leave as per state directions. We have also ordered that the compromised records be corrected within two months."
Three-Tier Classification of Violations
The committee classified the violations into three categories:
- Category A: Comprising 13 extremely serious cases involving deliberate illegal changes to ownership rights. Officials in this category face suspension and potential criminal proceedings.
- Category B: Serious procedural violations, such as passing orders without following due process. Involved officials will be transferred to non-executive roles outside the Pune division.
- Category C: Moderate irregularities or minor procedural lapses requiring administrative corrective action.
Misuse of Section 155 of MLRC
The investigation revealed that officials had systematically misused Section 155 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (MLRC), which is intended only for minor clerical corrections. Instead, they employed this provision to make substantive changes to land classification, total area, and occupant names—actions that fall entirely outside their legal authority and scope.
The committee also identified several fraudulent practices, including:
- Accepting offline applications instead of mandatory digital submissions
- Issuing orders without notifying relevant stakeholders
- Illegally converting "occupant class-2" (restricted) land to "class-1" (freehold)
- Deleting names of rightful legal heirs from property records
Statewide Response and Legislative Action
The crackdown follows a March 25 directive from the state revenue department to divisional commissioners in Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur, calling for immediate disciplinary action against officials involved in land record manipulation.
In total, 152 revenue officials have been indicted based on the committee's findings. Speaking in the Legislative Council, revenue minister Bawankule assured the house of strict action and announced a comprehensive statewide audit.
"Divisional commissioners across Maharashtra will now conduct a comprehensive audit of all orders issued under Section 155 over the past five years," the minister declared. He added that all identified illegal orders will be reviewed suo motu, and original land records will be restored within six months to protect landholders' legitimate rights.
The state government also plans to introduce amendments to the MLRC during the upcoming monsoon session to address the legal loopholes that enabled these systematic violations to occur. This legislative action aims to prevent similar manipulation of land records in the future and strengthen the integrity of Maharashtra's property registration system.
