Maharashtra Court Rejects Bail for Property Dealer in Land-Grab Case
MUMBAI: A Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Sainath Kamlakar Mhatre, a property dealer from Borivali, in a land-grab and forgery case. The case involves the alleged illegal sale of a Borivali property using fake documents while the original owners were abroad.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Special Judge Vikram R. Jagdale rejected the bail, stating that the material on record indicated a deep-rooted conspiracy involving a substantial amount of money. The court emphasized that custodial questioning was essential to trace the forged records and the money trail.
The case was registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which alleges that an ancestral land parcel at Valnai village in Borivali was illegally usurped by someone using fabricated deeds, forged government seals and stamps, and manipulated city survey entries. Subsequent investigations revealed that the accused forged documents to sell the property to private developers after the original owners died, with their legal heirs residing abroad.
Although Mhatre was not initially named in the First Information Report (FIR), his role emerged during the investigation. The court noted that his bank account reflected multiple suspicious transactions related to the property deal. It was crucial to probe the money trail of nearly ₹15 crore that was deposited in his account and how the amount was subsequently diverted.
The rejection of bail underscores the seriousness of the charges and the need for a thorough investigation to uncover the extent of the conspiracy and the involvement of all parties. The court's decision is a significant step in ensuring justice for the original owners and their legal heirs, who were victimized by this fraudulent activity.
The case highlights the importance of due diligence and the need for stringent measures to prevent such land-grab and forgery cases, which can have severe financial and emotional consequences for the victims. Authorities are continuing their investigation to bring all those involved to justice and to recover the misappropriated funds.
