Pune Disputed Land Deal Cancelled; Maharashtra DCM Ajit Pawar Says Son Didn’t Know It Was Government Property

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced the cancellation of a controversial and legally disputed 1,800-crore land deal in Pune involving his son Parth Pawar on Friday evening after massive political controversy. The 40-acre Mahar Vatan land in Koregaon Park–Mundhwa was sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, owned by Parth Pawar, holding 99 per cent stakes, in partnership with cousin Digvijay Amarsingh Patil.

The state government formed a committee to investigate irregularities under Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge. The government has also suspended key officials involved in the deal. An FIR has been filed by Pune police, booking Digvijay Patil and Sheetal Tejwani for charges related to forgery and document falsification, excluding DCM’s son Parth.

Opposition party leaders INC’s Vijay Wadettiwar and Shivsena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare are criticising DCM Pawar, raising questions about Parth not being named in the FIR.

What is the alleged land scam?

The 40-acre land located in the Koregaon Park–Mundhwa area of Pune is classified as Mahar Vatan land, a category historically reserved for members of the Mahar (Dalit) community under the Bombay Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act of 1958, which empowers dalits. This land can’t be sold to any individual or company without the approval of the cabinet and the highest authorities from the land and revenue department, under exceptional conditions, ensuring the entitlements of land rights & welfare of Dalits. (historically Mahar).

However, the plot was sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, for about 300 crore—far below its estimated market value of 1,800 crore, according to the sales deed. Despite the high valuation, the stamp duty paid by Pawar’s company during registration was as low as Rs. 500, instead of the expected 21 crore rupees, which raised concerns over procedural irregularities. Experts on politics and governance, though uncovering such scams is important, it isn’t possible to share all the documents in the public domain without the help of the ruling party’s ministers, especially the revenue minister. It is an attempt to corner Ajit Pawar ahead of local body elections in Maharashtra, and Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP will dominate the electoral battle.

Ajit Pawar was evidently vulnerable and stressed when he broke the silence after 48 hours in a press conference, announcing that the deal is now cancelled by the relevant officials. DCM and Guardian Minister of Pune, Pawar denied any involvement, stating that he had no knowledge of the transaction and that no officer had acted under his influence. He added that the investigation should proceed transparently and that legal norms must apply equally to all individuals, regardless of their political background. He noted that the sales deed in the case was a preliminary document, and no transfer of money or land had taken place between the parties.

The entire controversy has begun to unfold in that direction. Party workers of the NCP (AP faction) in Pune are now insisting that the Party leadership contest the local body polls independently, rather than as part of the NDA alliance. NCP (AP) hasn’t given any official statement confirming or negating the workers' demand.

Parth Pawar hasn’t issued any official statement clarifying his position or denying charges related to the land deal controversy. He only reshared his father, Ajit Pawar’s, statement on X.

Meanwhile, Dalit organisations in Maharashtra are demanding an FIR against Pawar’s son and his associates under the SC/ST (prevention from atrocity) Act, as Maratha Pawar and associates conspired to loot land meant for Dalits, according to Dalit leaders like Deepak Kedar and many in the state echoed the same.

Who is Parth Pawar?

Parth, 35, son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief and grandson of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, represents the third generation of one of Maharashtra’s most powerful political families. Educated in Business Administration from the United Kingdom, Parth entered politics with high expectations of modernising the NCP’s image and appealing to urban youth.

His 2019 debut in electoral politics, contesting the high-profile Maval Lok Sabha seat, however, ended in a major setback when he lost by over two lakh votes to Shiv Sena’s Shrirang Barne, despite his father’s aggressive campaign and the investment of all kinds of resources. His eloquent speeches, delivered in Marathi during his election campaign, could not resonate with the predominantly rural and agrarian constituency of Mawal in Pune. His urban modern appearance didn’t match the ground realities of Mawal.

Political analysts criticised Ajit Pawar in 2019 for launching his son in politics with a Lok Sabha candidature without prior experience in grassroots work and rural governance, whereas his cousin, MLA Rohit Pawar (NCP-SP), started from the Zilla Parishad and has a better understanding of rural issues and governance - a point often compared.

After the 2019 loss, Parth shifted his focus to private ventures and social initiatives in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, focusing on sectors such as education, sports, and the environment.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, his mother, Sunetra Pawar, contested on an NCP (AP) ticket from the Baramati constituency, marking the first elections after the party split, which also divided Maharashtra’s most powerful political family. Sunetra contested against sitting MP Supriya Sule. Ajit Pawar again pushed all his boundaries for this constituency - this time for his wife, unlike in decades past when he supported his sister, Supriya. However, Sunetra Pawar was defeated by a significant margin of over 1.5 lakh votes by Supriya Sule, her sister-in-law. Sunetra was later nominated for the Rajya Sabha and elected as an MP.

Who is Digvijay Patil?

Parth’s maternal cousin (Sunetra Pawar’s) nephew, Digvijay Amarsingh Patil, 25, also comes from a family of generational wealth and political background. His father, Amarsingh Patil, died in 2020 due to illness at the age of 50. Amarsingh served as a sarpanch of Ter village of Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) and owned more than acres of land. Digvijay has been away from electoral politics and has a partnership in two companies with Parth Pawar, named Amidia Enterprises LLP and Amidia Holdings LLP, since June 2021, according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs' database.

Who is Sheetal Tejwani?

Sheetal Kishanchand Tejwani is a Pune-based businesswoman who acquired the power of attorney over the disputed 40-acre Mahar Vatan land from Dalit land owners; however, the government has possessed the land for the past few years. She is named in an FIR filed by the Pune Police for allegedly facilitating the sale to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm in violation of the legal provisions. Both Tejwani and Digvijay Amarsinh Patil are booked for forgery and falsification of land records.