Maharashtra orders inquiry into Mundhwa land sale amid irregularities

The Maharashtra government on Thursday ordered a high level inquiry into an alleged irregular land sale in Pune after an interim report from the Inspector General of Registration flagged procedural lapses in the transfer of a roughly 43 acre plot in Mundhwa, also described in reports as part of Koregaon Park. Officials said the land, recorded as government property and leased to the Indian Botanical Survey, was sold to Amedia Enterprises LLP for 300 crore, while the market value is estimated at about 1,800 crore, raising concerns of substantial revenue loss to the state.

The IGR interim report, submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary, said the site was under a long lease at a nominal rent and that the sale deed was executed between a Power of Attorney holder representing 272 individuals and the buyer company, which had plans to develop a data centre on the site. Investigators identified multiple irregularities in the registration process, including failure to verify required government permissions and the absence of a No Objection Certificate, officials said.

A central issue in the report concerns stamp duty and local taxes. While the transaction was declared at 300 crore,...