The main development is the financial condition placed on the cancellation of the controversial land deal.
- Cancellation Condition: The firm, Amadea Enterprises LLP (co-owned by Parth Pawar and his cousin Digvijay Patil), will have to pay double the stamp duty, which amounts to ₹42 crore, to legally cancel the sale deed for the 40-acre land in Mundhwa, Pune.
- Breakdown of ₹42 Crore:
- ₹21 Crore (First 7%): This covers the original stamp duty (7% of the ₹300 crore deal) that the firm allegedly avoided by claiming an exemption for a proposed data centre. An official noted that since the plan is now dropped, the exemption is invalid and the original duty must be paid.
- ₹21 Crore (Additional 7%): This is the stamp duty required to execute the cancellation deed itself.
- Official Stance: The Department of Registration and Stamps has clarified that the deed will only be formally cancelled once this total deficit stamp duty and penalty are paid.
Allegations, FIRs, and Political Reaction
- Original Allegation: The deal involved the sale of 40 acres of land, which was later revealed to be “Mumbai Sarkar” (government) land. Opposition leaders alleged its market value was around ₹1,800 crore, but it was transacted for ₹300 crore with an alleged stamp duty waiver.
- FIR Details: An FIR has been registered based on a complaint by the Inspector General of Registrar’s office against three individuals for alleged misappropriation and cheating:
- Digvijay Patil (Partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP)
- Shital Tejwani (Power of Attorney holder for the 272 ‘owners’)
- R B Taru (Sub-registrar who executed the deal)
- CM Devendra Fadnavis’s Comment: He stated that action is being taken as per law, and there is “no question of saving anybody.” He defended the FIR not naming Parth by saying it is filed against the express parties and authorised signatories.
- Ajit Pawar’s Response: He claimed Parth was unaware the land belonged to the government and announced the ₹300 crore deal had been cancelled.
- Sharad Pawar’s Stance: He supported a probe into the deal, publicly distinguishing between family ties and political/administrative matters.
- Congress Demand: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal demanded a ‘white paper’ on land transactions in Pune and Mumbai and a full-day discussion in the upcoming winter session.
