No proof of Parth’s role, says Pune top cop on land deal

PUNE: Pune Police’s economic offences wing (EOW) has filed an 1,886-page chargesheet relating to the 40-acre Mundhwa land deal, saying arrested power of attorney (PoA)-holder Sheetal Kisanchand Tejwani (44) executed the sale deed with Amadea Enterprises LLP despite knowing the plot was owned by state govt. Late Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s son Parth is a partner in the firm.

Asked about Parth, Pune commissioner of police (CP) Amitesh Kumar said on Monday: “Our investigation so far has not revealed any involvement.” Although Parth has not been named in the FIR, Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, another of Amadea’s partners, and arrested tehsildar Suryakant Yewale are mentioned. Tejwani and Patil were signatories to the deal last year.

Yewale is accused of passing an order asking Botanical Survey of India (BSI), which holds the lease of the land till 2038, to vacate the plot following a plea by Amadea for such a directive.

“We filed the chargesheet on Jan 28 with a city court only against Tejwani considering the 60-day window was getting over. We are continuing with investigations against Patil and Yewale and will take a call on filing a supplementary chargesheet later,” CP Kumar said. The police have recorded Patil’s statement. Allegations of irregularities swirled over the deal as it was executed by Tejwani — PoA-holder for the 272 Watandars (original land holders) — and Amadea’s Patil for Rs 300 crore. Opposition claimed the market value of the land in Pune’s upscale Mundhwa area was Rs 1,800 crore.


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