# From Prime Plot to Pricey Penalty: Ajit Pawar's Son Faces Rs 42 Crore Hit in Pune Land Fiasco
November 9, 2025**
In the high-stakes world of Maharashtra politics, where family ties and real estate deals often collide, a controversial Pune land transaction has landed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son, Parth, in hot water. What started as a Rs 300 crore purchase of a 40-acre prime plot has unraveled into a cancelled deal, triggering a Rs 42 crore stamp duty bill and multiple probes. As opposition voices cry "land theft," Pawar Sr. insists it's all a misunderstanding—his son didn't know the land was government-owned. With elections looming, this saga underscores the razor-thin line between business and benevolence in India's political dynasties. Let's break it down.
## The Deal That Shouldn't Have Been: A Quick Primer
The plot in question? A sprawling 40-acre government-reserved parcel in Pune's upscale Mundhwa area (Survey No. 88, Mouje Mundhwa), eyed for a data center project. In a transaction registered on May 9, 2025, Amadea Enterprises LLP—a firm co-owned by Parth Pawar and his cousin Digvijay Amarsinh Patil—snapped it up for Rs 300 crore from private sellers. But here's the rub: Officials peg the land's market value at a whopping Rs 1,800 crore, raising red flags over potential undervaluation and evasion of Rs 6 crore in initial stamp duty.
Amadea had even sought a 7% stamp duty exemption (Rs 21 crore) by touting the data center's job-creation perks. The project? Abruptly scrapped, paving the way for the sale deed's cancellation. No cash reportedly changed hands in the original deal, but the registration sailed through without the mandatory duty—allegedly thanks to lapses by a suspended sub-registrar.
## The Unraveling: Irregularities Exposed and Deed Scrapped
The controversy ignited when a whistleblower complaint from Deputy District Registrar Santosh Ashok Hingane spotlighted the duty dodge. Despite a clear directive to cough up Rs 5.89 crore in stamp duty, the deed was stamped and registered anyway. Enter the Maharashtra government's Department of Registration and Stamps: They've now voided the deed, but not without strings attached.
Two FIRs have been slapped on Digvijay Patil, property dealer Shital Kishanchand Tejwani, and ex-sub-registrar Ravindra Balkrishna Taru under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating, criminal misappropriation, and stamp act violations. Notably, Parth Pawar isn't named in them. Raids are underway, and an interim report from Pune's Inspector General of Registration has landed on the Additional Chief Secretary's desk in Mumbai.
A high-level probe committee, led by Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Kharge, is digging deeper—with a report due in a month. Ajit Pawar has washed his hands off it: "I had absolutely no information... This should not have happened." He claims Parth and Patil were in the dark about the land's government status, calling it a "mistake" for skipping legal due diligence. "Truth will be out soon," he vowed, framing the accusations as "baseless" election-season jabs.
## The Bitter Bill: Rs 42 Crore to Walk Away
Cancellation isn't free. To nullify the deed, Amadea must fork over double the stamp duty: 7% on the Rs 300 crore deal (Rs 21 crore) plus another 7% for the cancellation itself—totaling Rs 42 crore. A notice has been served to Patil, and officials aren't budging. This penalty, they say, covers the state's losses from the initial evasion and ensures no one profits from the mess.
| Key Element | Details |
|-------------|---------|
| **Land Size & Location** | 40 acres, Mundhwa, Pune (Govt-reserved for public use) |
| **Deal Value** | Rs 300 crore (Market value: Rs 1,800 crore) |
| **Buyer Firm** | Amadea Enterprises LLP (Parth Pawar & Digvijay Patil) |
| **Intended Use** | Data center (now scrapped) |
| **Stamp Duty Evasion** | Rs 6 crore initially; now Rs 42 crore penalty |
| **Legal Actions** | 2 FIRs, probe committee report due in 1 month |
## Political Firestorm: "Land Theft" or Legit Blunder?
The opposition smells blood. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dubbed it "land theft," slamming PM Modi's silence on his "ally" Ajit Pawar. Maharashtra's Oppn is baying for a judicial inquiry, accusing the Mahayuti government of shielding insiders. Pawar, a NCP heavyweight who's flipped alliances before, counters that such smears are routine—"35 years of baseless allegations."
This isn't Pawar's first brush with graft shadows; past irrigation scam probes have dogged him. With local polls around the corner, the timing couldn't be worse for his image as a development czar.
## Road Ahead: Probe, Pay, and Pivot?
The Rs 42 crore cheque might close one chapter, but the inquiry could open a Pandora's box—uncovering if clearances were bypassed or if bigger players pulled strings. For Parth, the young heir eyeing politics, it's a baptism by fire: Lesson learned on vetting deals? Or just collateral in daddy's turf wars?
As Maharashtra's real estate roulette spins on, this case spotlights the need for ironclad transparency in land dealings. Will the probe deliver justice, or fade into footnotes? What's your take—innocent error or insider edge? Sound off below.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth Pawar, has been asked to pay double stamp duty — around Rs 42 crore — to cancel the sale deed for a 40-acre land parcel in Pune’s upscale Mundhwa area, according to multiple reports.
The Department of Registration and Stamps has reportedly issued a notice to Digvijay Amarsinh Patil, Parth’s cousin and partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP, directing the firm to pay 7% stamp duty on the Rs 300 crore transaction (Rs 21 crore). On top of that, authorities have imposed an additional 7% for the cancellation deed — bringing the total to ?42 crore.
