Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday ordered a probe into allegations of irregularities in a Pune land deal involving a company linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar.

The inquiry will be led by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge, The Indian Express reported.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said that he has sought details from the revenue and land records departments, and directed that an inquiry be conducted.

The matter that had come to light appeared to be serious, he said.

“Our coalition government believes in transparency, so this matter will be investigated to determine whether there are any irregularities, and if so, strict action will be taken,” Fadnavis added.

The controversy centres on the sale of about 40 acres of land in Pune’s Koregaon Park, allegedly purchased by Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm co-owned by Parth Pawar, The Indian Express reported.

The land, classified as Mahar Watan land, was historically granted to the Mahar Scheduled Caste community. Such land cannot be sold without the state government’s permission.

The Opposition has alleged that the land, valued at about Rs 1,800 crore, was sold to the company for Rs 300 crore, with a stamp duty waiver reportedly granted within 48 hours of the deal.

The original valuation put the payable stamp duty at Rs 21 crore, The Print reported.

The state government has suspended a tehsildar and a sub-registrar over the allegations, PTI reported.

PTI quoted Ajit Pawar, who leads a faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, as saying that the chief minister “should definitely probe this” and that “it is his right”.

“I am not even remotely connected to this [land deal],” the deputy chief minister was quoted as saying. “When your children grow up, they do their own business.”

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the government will verify whether the provisions governing Mahar Watan land and stamp duty exemptions had been followed, The Indian Express reported.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Ambadas Danve questioned how a company with a share capital of Rs 1 lakh could purchase such valuable land and secure a waiver so quickly, NDTV reported.

Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal demanded that Ajit Pawar resign over the incident.

Baramati MP Supriya Sule, from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction, however, urged the government to clarify the facts. Sule said that there were conflicting claims about whether the transaction had even taken place and if stamp duty had actually been paid, The Indian Express reported.

“If people say I am backing Parth, I have no problem with that…I have spoken to him this morning,” she added. “He told me that he has done nothing wrong.”

Sule and Ajit Pawar are cousins.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance comprises the Uddhav Sena, Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction and the Congress.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and the NCP group led by Ajit Pawar.

In 2019, Parth Pawar had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency on the ticket of the undivided NCP.

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