Strict Action Will Be Taken Against the Guilty' - Bawankule's Major Statement on Pune Land Transaction Scam
In Brief
The state government has taken a serious stance on the Pune land transaction scam.
The high-level committee appointed for the investigation will submit a report within a month.
The information was provided by BJP state president and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
The state government has taken a serious stance on the Pune land transaction scam, and the high-level committee appointed for the investigation will submit a report within a month, as informed by BJP state president and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. “After this investigation, the government will take strict action against the guilty,” he clarified.
Bawankule said, “Criminal charges have been filed against all those who registered, bought or sold, or participated in the paperwork transactions in this case. The Revenue Department has appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Vikas Kharge, which includes senior officials such as the IGR, Settlement Commissioner, Revenue Secretary, and Divisional Commissioner. This strong committee will conduct a thorough investigation of the entire matter and provide a report.” He clarified that there are already clear laws and standing orders in the Revenue Department to prevent such transactions from happening again. “According to the Registration Act, every aspect is clear. However, if some stamp officers are involved in such illegal transactions, they should be removed from their jobs, this is the government's stance,” he said.
In the Pune land scam, the opposition has alleged that transactions worth a few crores were made concerning land valued at 1800 crores. On this, Bawankule said, “If Vadettiwar really wants to file a complaint, it should be in writing. Merely making allegations through the media is of no use. If we receive a concrete complaint, an investigation will be conducted. There was no external complaint in the Pune case, but based on media reports, we initiated an investigation ourselves and took immediate action.” Preliminary findings in this investigation suggest that a revenue of 42 crores will need to be recovered. Bawankule said, “At the preliminary level, we have filed charges based on the faults we found. After the committee's final report, the government will make all further decisions. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have given clear instructions regarding this investigation.”
When asked about another suspicious land deal in the Bopodi area, Bawankule said, “If citizens find any irregularities related to the revenue or registration department, they can directly file a complaint with us. We listen to citizens' complaints on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If our officials have made any mistakes, the government will investigate and take appropriate action.” Meanwhile, Bawankule also commented on the political situation in Maharashtra. “A decision has been made to fight the Mahayuti battle together. Where possible, there will be Mahayuti candidates, and where not, there will be friendly contests. There will be no differences,” he said.
He further said, “Currently, we are touring the areas of Melghat, Chikhaldara, Achalpur, and Anjangaon Surdi. We are conducting an on-site inspection to see if the grant of 550 crore rupees has reached the farmers.” When asked about the issue of loan waiver, he stated, “The government is firmly working for the farmers. As Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has stated, the government will ensure that farmers do not fall into debt again by repeatedly announcing loan waivers. The committee that will report in the future will serve as a guide to help the farmers who are truly in need.”