07 December,2025 10:28 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
The accused allegedly violated Section 18 of the Registration Act, 1908, by failing to verify the ownership status of the land. Representational pic
In a major development in the Mundhwa land deal case involving the alleged fraudulent sale of a 40-acre government plot to a firm linked to Parth Pawar, the son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Balkrushna Taru was arrested on Sunday by the Pimpri Chinchwad Police in Pune, news agency PTI reported.
Taru, who was suspended after irregularities came to light in the registration of the land deal, was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by Joint District Registrar Santosh Hingane at Bavdhan Police Station.
"He was arrested today," confirmed Pimpri Chinchwad Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad.
According to an inquiry committee headed by Rajendra Muthe, joint inspector general of registration (IGR), the 58-year-old official processed the sale deed on May 19 by exploiting a critical loophole in the registration system, PTI reported. The report stated that Taru used the "skip" option in the e-mutation module, classifying the government-owned land as "movable property" to bypass mandatory verification protocols.
Police said the land - with an estimated market value of around Rs 1,800 crore - was illegally sold for Rs 300 crore to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in which Parth Pawar is a partner.
The inquiry report further noted that Taru violated Section 18 of the Registration Act, 1908, by failing to verify the ownership status of the land before approving the transaction, PTI reported. The report also names Amadea Enterprises partner and Parth Pawar's cousin Digvijay Patil and Shital Tejwani, who acted as the power of attorney holder and executed the sale deed.
Tejwani has already been arrested.
Taru's arrest comes just a day before the Maharashtra legislature's Winter Session begins in Nagpur, adding political weight to the ongoing investigation.
Tejwani, who was arrested on Wednesday, allegedly executed the illegal sale deed as the power of attorney holder for the 40-acre Botanical Survey of India lease land in Mundhwa.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), Vivek Masal, said Tejwani was arrested following an FIR registered at Khadak Police Station.
According to the police, Tejwani had been questioned earlier, and officers decided to arrest her after gathering sufficient evidence.
"The investigation will continue based on the statements collected and the new names emerging during questioning," DCP Masal said.
(With PTI inputs)
