Pune Land Deal Controversy: Bombay HC Questions Police on Deputy CM’s Son Parth Pawar’s Involvement

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday, while hearing a petition filed by real estate businesswoman Sheetal Tejwani, who was arrested in the controversial Pune land deal case, made some pointed remarks. Justice Madhav Jamdar orally observed, “Deputy chief minister’s son is not named in the FIR. Is the police protecting the son of the deputy CM and only investigating others?”

The Economic Offences Wing of Pune city police, which is probing alleged irregularities involving two separate land parcels in Bopodi and Mundhwa, arrested Tejwani on December 3. Tejwani, who held the power of attorney for the Mundhwa land, is in police custody until December 11. The land was sold to Amadea Enterprises, a company in which Parth Pawar, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is a majority partner.

The land deal was registered in May. The controversy centers around whether the sale had the necessary approval from the state government. The land parcel in Mundhwa, which was a hereditary land grant, was previously in possession of the government and had been leased to the Botanical Survey of India.

Tejwani withdrew her plea for pre-arrest bail, and hence the court passed no order. She had approached the High Court for pre-arrest bail in a separate FIR registered with Bavdhan police on November 6. Her plea, argued by senior counsel Rajiv Chavan, stated that she “acted only as a duly constituted power of attorney holder of the lawful owners.” It also argued that since the same transaction and documents were already under investigation by the Economic Offences Wing in one FIR, the second FIR was “duplicative and oppressive.”

State acting public prosecutor M M Deshmukh sought the dismissal of Tejwani’s plea as an “abuse of legal process.” He pointed out that she had sought similar relief in a local court in Pune on December 8, which posted the matter for hearing on December 15. Justice Jamdar indicated that he might impose heavy costs of Rs 5 lakh on her in his order. Chavan then submitted that they would withdraw the application, which the High Court permitted.

Meanwhile, when asked about the High Court’s remarks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in Nagpur, “I have not heard what the High Court has said, but a proper reply will be submitted in court about what it has asked for. From the very beginning, the government’s stand is not to protect anyone. Action will be taken against whoever is guilty.”

The case has raised significant questions about transparency and accountability in government transactions, particularly those involving high-profile individuals. The ongoing investigation and court proceedings will likely shed more light on the matter in the coming weeks.