Maharashtra Deputy CM's Son Ordered to Pay Rs 21 Crore in Controversial Pune Land Deal

A 60-day deadline has been imposed on the company for payment compliance.

Amadea Enterprises LLP, owned by Parth Pawar, son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has been directed to pay the complete stamp duty of Rs 21 crore along with a penalty of Rs 1.47 crore regarding the controversial 40-acre land acquisition in Pune's premium Mundhwa area. The Maharashtra Department of Registration and Stamps has also applied additional interest charges for the seven-month delay period.

This directive follows an investigation by the Department into the land transaction between Sheetal Tejwani and Amadea company in Mundhwa.

The penalty amount will increase if Parth's company delays the interest payment further.

The company must comply within the stipulated 60-day timeframe.

Amadea Enterprises purchased the 40-acre plot in Pune's prestigious Mundhwa area for approximately Rs 300 crore, despite its actual market valuation of Rs 1,804 crore, prompting allegations of preferential treatment for the minister's son. The firm also received a stamp duty exemption just two days after completing the transaction, with the justification that a data center would be developed on the property.

The company had initially paid only Rs 500 as stamp duty on the Rs 300 crore transaction.

Furthermore, the land fell under the 'Watan' category - specifically reserved for the Mahar community, a Scheduled Caste. According to the Bombay Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act, 1958, such land cannot be sold without government authorization.

The controversy attracted opposition criticism, with leaders demanding the land's return to the government and criminal proceedings. The issue gained national attention when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described it as "land theft by the government".

Regarding the Pawars' response, Ajit Pawar stated that his son was unaware of the land's government status. He also denied any knowledge of the transaction from his office, claiming they believed the land acquisition was legally compliant.

"The sale deed should not have been executed. The registrar should not have processed it. Upon learning about this, I recommended a thorough examination of everyone involved," he stated.

The Deputy Chief Minister also advised his son to "consider this a learning experience" and thoroughly evaluate all future proposals.