Suspended Pune Official's Troubled Past Exposed
Suspended Pune City tehsildar Suryakant Yewale finds himself embroiled in yet another controversy, this time concerning the multi-crore Koregaon Park land deal connected to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar. However, documents obtained through investigation reveal this is not the first time Yewale has faced serious allegations during his career in the Maharashtra revenue department.
History of Corruption and Negligence Charges
Official records from Nagpur, Gadchiroli, and Indapur paint a concerning picture of Yewale's professional conduct spanning over a decade. In 2011, the Anti Corruption Bureau arrested Yewale while he allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 10,000 during his tenure as naib tehsildar. The incident occurred on October 18, 2011, leading to his subsequent release on bail.
A 2011 letter from the Divisional Commissioner of Nagpur to the Chief Secretary (Revenue) detailed the arrest and requested a formal inquiry against Yewale. The current status of this corruption case remains unclear, but it marked the beginning of a pattern of disciplinary issues.
Multiple Suspensions Across Maharashtra Postings
Yewale's troubles continued in 2013 when the Undersecretary of Revenue and Forest Department issued a suspension order against him for failing to assume his appointed position in Etapalli, Gadchiroli. This negligence of duty resulted in another ordered inquiry against the official.
The pattern repeated in 2016 when Yewale, serving as tehsildar of Indapur in Pune, faced suspension again. This time, the charges included failure to take action against illegal sand mining on the banks of rivers Bhima and Nira. The suspension order cited multiple irregularities:
- Failure to submit explanations for showcause notices
- Dereliction of duty and ignoring superiors' orders
- Deliberate neglect of office work
- Failure to submit reports within prescribed deadlines
Current Controversy and Background Details
Yewale's current suspension stems from his alleged involvement in the controversial Koregaon Park land deal. He issued an eviction notice to the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) to vacate a 44-acre plot that the government had seized in the 1950s and leased to BSI until 2038.
Interestingly, documents reveal that Yewale passed the 2001 Maharashtra Public Service Commission exam under the disabled-deaf category and was recommended for appointment as Naib Tehsildar, beginning his career in the revenue department.
RTI activist and Aam Aadmi Party member Vijay Kumbhar, who uncovered these documents, expressed serious concerns about the handling of Yewale's case. "The people who are supposed to investigate all of these matters seem to be involved in this and have orchestrated transfers of Yewale", Kumbhar stated.
He further highlighted potential violations of Supreme Court orders regarding the civil services board, suggesting that either board members were involved in improper transfers or ministers acted without their knowledge. Kumbhar has called upon Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to urgently address these concerning revelations.
The Mahar Watan plot at the center of the current controversy was purchased by Parth Pawar's firm for Rs 300 crore from a person holding power of attorney for the original 272 watandars. However, Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi and the Maharashtra government have declared the deal illegal since the land is government-owned with a closed 7/12 extract.
