Enforcement Directorate Chargesheet Reveals Luxury Purchases by Accused in Vasai-Virar Illegal Construction Scandal
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against 18 individuals, including two former senior officials of the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), over the illegal construction of 41 buildings. The chargesheet reveals that the accused used bribe money to make luxury purchases, including expensive jewelry, a pen worth Rs 70,000, and iPhones.
Illegal ConstructionVasaivirarEnforcement DirectorateBriberyLuxury PurchasesReal Estate MumbaiOct 14, 2025
The ED claims that the total proceeds of crime amount to Rs 300.92 crore, with Rs 169 crore allegedly linked to Pawar. The investigation has revealed that cash generated from illegal gratification was used for personal gains and luxury purchases. WhatsApp chats between the accused show that Reddy had purchased expensive sarees, gold-studded, and other precious jewelry for Pawar’s family. The chargesheet includes screenshots of these chats, along with photographs of the jewelry bought, a pen worth Rs 70,000, and other expenses.
During the search of Reddy’s residence, the ED seized jewelry and gold bars worth Rs 23 crore, along with cash of Rs 8.20 crore, which was disproportionate to his legal source. The sides of the gold bricks were rubbed off to hide the seller and the origin. The chargesheet also claims that Reddy spent the proceeds of crime on hotel stays, cricket matches, concert tickets, buying foreign currencies, and iPhones.
In one of the recovered chats, Reddy mentioned that he has a monthly expense of Rs 5 lakh, which increases to Rs 1 crore on certain occasions like Diwali. The ED has recovered some of the tables and handwritten diaries of the accused, even though many chats on discussions about bribes were deleted. According to the chargesheet, cash was collected from architects, liaisoners, or developers directly, with usable amounts kept for general usage. Larger amounts were moved away from the officials and handed to close family members, personal aides, trusted chartered accountants, and selected corporation staff. Sometimes, the cash was dropped at fixed meeting points instead of homes or offices. A Rs 10 note was used as a token for delivery authentication of the one paying the bribe and the one receiving the cash.
Codes like “Sr No.” or the digit “5,” “documents” were used to refer to money or cash amounts, and “C” was the code for commissioner, “D” for deputy director, and “commercial” meant the bribe component for a pending approval. The ED claims that bribe amounts were calculated based on the stage of building construction and a fixed rate, ranging from Rs 25-50 per square foot for the commissioner, with slabs per department. One table shows that Pawar earned Rs 9.83 crore in bribes for approvals over a certain period, some of which were collected by Chartered Accountant, Narendra Jain, referred to as “postman,” and his wife, Bharti Pawar, referred to as “madam,” or through his driver.
The delivery of cash was done in various places, including Pawar’s bungalow, usually on Fridays before he left for his hometown in Nashik or his residence in Pune. The ED claims that cash was also delivered through Pawar’s and his wife’s relatives, who then formed various entities and bought properties. The bribe money was routed through entities like real estate firms, warehousing chains, or consultancy services to show them as untainted. Bharti, in her statement to the ED, claimed that she receives a monthly salary from four firms, but when questioned about one of the firms, Janardhan Agro, which sells agricultural products, she failed to provide rates of general products.
The ED also noted that while her brother who works at Janardhan Agro earns a monthly salary of Rs 50,000, Bharti is shown to be getting an annual salary of Rs 20-25 lakh. In another firm, M/s Shrutika Enterprises, where Bharti Pawar is a partner, she invested Rs 38.5 lakh but received Rs 98 lakh within just three years, despite the firm having loans of Rs 35 lakh and total liabilities exceeding Rs 1.5 crore. The firm’s profit is only around Rs 25 lakh annually, yet Bharti Pawar and others show much higher income, suggesting that the extra money represents cash bribes being converted into legitimate income through these businesses.
In a statement after his arrest, Pawar’s lawyers claimed that the commissioners of the earlier period and the CIDCO authorities have not been investigated by the ED, calling it “cherry picking.” They also stated that the companies belonging to the relatives of Pawar were formed between 1997 to 2019, before his posting as a commissioner, and that these companies are regularly audited and pay taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the main accused in the Vasai-Virar illegal construction case?
The main accused include Anilkumar Pawar, the former IAS officer and commissioner of VVCMC; his wife Bharti; Y S Reddy, the suspended deputy director of town planning; and Sitaram Gupta, a former corporator of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, along with chartered accountants, architects, builders, real estate agents, and brokers.
What luxury items were purchased with the bribe money?
The accused used bribe money to purchase expensive jewelry, a pen worth Rs 70,000, and iPhones. They also spent money on hotel stays, cricket matches, concert tickets, and buying foreign currencies.
How much money is involved in the illegal construction scandal?
The total proceeds of crime amount to Rs 300.92 crore, with Rs 169 crore allegedly linked to Anilkumar Pawar.
How was the bribe money collected and distributed?
Cash was collected from architects, liaisoners, or developers directly, with usable amounts kept for general usage. Larger amounts were moved away from the officials and handed to close family members, personal aides, trusted chartered accountants, and selected corporation staff. Sometimes, the cash was dropped at fixed meeting points instead of homes or offices.
What is the defense of Anilkumar Pawar's lawyers?
Pawar’s lawyers claim that the commissioners of the earlier period and the CIDCO authorities have not been investigated by the ED, calling it 'cherry picking.' They also state that the companies belonging to the relatives of Pawar were formed between 1997 to 2019, before his posting as a commissioner, and that these companies are regularly audited and pay taxes.
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