City in grip of land mafia; fourth land scam in a month

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A fourth land fraud within a month has surfaced, highlighting the growing nexus of land mafia in the city. Two plots measuring 275.40 sq metres each (550.80 sq metres total) at Silk Mill Colony, owned by Jaheda Begum Abdul Khalik Qureshi, were allegedly grabbed while she was in the United States.

Habib Saleh (49) of Kalyan allegedly forged documents and signatures and registered fake sale deeds at the sub-registrar’s office on October 3, 2025 at 3.46 pm using a Rs 10 forged stamp paper. The land was first registered in the name of Sikandar Kalimoddin Inamdar and later transferred to others. Following Jaheda’s complaint, a case was registered on March 2 at City Chowk police station on the complaint of deputy sub-registrar Abasaheb Tupe. Police inspector Srinivas Royalwar is probing the case. Investigations indicate that the plots were sold to a former sarpanch, then to Nadeem of Malegaon with Maqsood as witness, and later to Naushad, forming a chain of nearly four persons. However, only Habib has been named in the FIR and transaction amounts were omitted, raising questions over the registration office’s role. Habib and Nadeem are also suspects in a Satara case, after which Habib reportedly absconded. Earlier, on March 25, three acres were shown sold for Rs 15 lakh using a forged power of attorney, again naming Habib as main accused. On March 30, a Sillod woman’s land was similarly grabbed. In February, 13 acres near Jalna Road at Karmad were sold twice within eight months in deals worth Rs 18 crore. Despite the i-Sarita system and biometric verification, forged Aadhaar cards, fabricated consent letters and dummy persons are allegedly used to register fake documents on old or forged stamp papers. Land is quickly transferred to multiple persons before detection, complicating recovery. Though the sub-registrar’s office has filed complaints, officials claim ownership verification is not their responsibility, raising serious concerns over accountability in land transactions.