Maharashtra Crackdown: Stamp Duty Evasion in Rs 300 Crore Land Deal

The Maharashtra Registration and Stamps Department now requires documentation of all stamp duty exemptions or concessions every month. This follows a scandal involving Parth Pawar's company in a Rs 300 crore land deal. The transaction avoided a potential Rs 21 crore stamp duty charge, raising legal and procedural concerns.

The Maharashtra Registration and Stamps Department has imposed new regulations mandating all registration offices to submit copies of documents from the past month, where stamp duty exemptions or concessions were provided, to the Stamp Duty Collector by the 5th of every month.

This directive comes in the wake of the controversial Rs 300 crore Mundhwa land deal linked to Parth Pawar, son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, where a Rs 21 crore stamp duty was allegedly waived. The order demands that Sub-Registrars verify the legality of these exemptions as per existing government resolutions.

The scandal involves Parth Pawar's firm, Amadea Enterprises LLP, which reportedly acquired 40 acres of government land under questionable conditions. An investigation revealed that Sub-Registrar R B Taru facilitated this illegal transaction. A First Information Report has been filed as Ajit Pawar announced the cancellation of the deal, while the department insisted on double stamp duty payment before deed cancellation.

(With inputs from agencies.)