Mumbai, June 29 (IANS) Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday announced in the state council that the department has unearthed a massive 13-year-old scam in the Nashik Municipal Corporation area, where housing meant for the economically weaker sections under the Comprehensive Housing Policy was systematically siphoned off.

So far, 197 accused have been identified, and First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against 104 individuals.

Bawankule said that a comprehensive ‘Action Taken Report’ (ATR) regarding the matter will be tabled during the upcoming Winter Session of the state legislature.

He was responding to a calling-attention motion raised by Shiv Sena MLA Anil Parab regarding the land plot scam in Nashik.

Given the massive scale of the scam, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has requested a two-month extension. The final SIT report will be submitted by August 18, 2026.

Following this, the government will scrutinise the findings over the next two months. The Urban Development Ministry and the Revenue Department will jointly present the complete ‘Action Taken Report’ before the house in the December Winter Session.

Bawankule assured the house that no culprit would be spared.

According to the Urban Development Department’s regulations dated November 8, 2013, any housing project (layout) developed on a plot of 4 acres or more must mandatorily reserve 20 per cent of the houses or land for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and transfer it to MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority), said the minister.

To circumvent this 20 per cent reservation rule, developers (builders) and government officials colluded to orchestrate a massive fraud. For instance, a single 7-acre land parcel was, on paper, divided into seven smaller plots.

By submitting falsified maps, the developers illegally secured exemptions from the 20 per cent reservation. In total, 49 such cases have been identified in which fraudulent land alterations and subdivisions were carried out to usurp housing meant for the poor, the minister stated.

The investigation has revealed a highly organised conspiracy involving officials from three key departments including MHADA, Nashik Town Planning, and the Land Records Department, he said.

In a shocking revelation, a senior official from the Land Records Department voluntarily retired solely to facilitate this scam. He subsequently became the chief consultant for the operation, allegedly earning 50 times more than his official salary.

While the officer had initially fled the country, the Revenue Department successfully tracked him down abroad and brought him back. He was remanded to jail for a month and a half, during which he underwent rigorous interrogation, the minister informed.

The state government has formed a high-level SIT under the chairmanship of Nashik Divisional Commissioner Pravin Gedam to probe the scam. The team includes top officials, including the Nashik Police Commissioner, the Settlement Commissioner, and the Inspector General of Registration (IGR).

So far, 50 cases of fraudulent land mutations and alterations have been cancelled under Section 257 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code. Out of the 197 identified accused, several have already been arrested. All charges filed in the matter are non-bailable, said the minister.

Positive discussions have been held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Deputy Chief Minister to recover the financial losses suffered by MHADA and to reclaim these lands so they can finally be used to provide housing for the poor, said the minister.

–IANS

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