Crores misappropriated in Tisgaon land valuation;

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Massive irregularities have surfaced in the valuation of 2.56 hectares of land (Gavthan No. 225/5) at Tisgaon, the same plot linked to an earlier bribery case involving suspended resident deputy collector Vinod Khirolkar and revenue assistant Dilip Tribhuvan. Both were previously arrested for allegedly demanding lakhs to convert the land from Class-2 to Class-1.

A fresh inquiry has revealed that the land’s actual premium value of Rs 10,22,30,100 was deliberately shown as only Rs 1,50,99,904, resulting in misappropriation of crores in government revenue.

Following the discovery, district collector Deelip Swami has issued disciplinary notices to four officials, two Revenue Assistants and two officials from the Stamp and Registration Department, including a Sub-Registrar. Additional Tehsildar has recorded the Rs 2.17 crore shortfall as an encumbrance on the land’s 7/12 extract.

According to the administration, landowner Sheshrao Kale had submitted the lower valuation while seeking class conversion, citing reasons related to the Income Tax Department. A revaluation exposed the inflated discrepancy, after which Kale was ordered to pay the deficit but failed to do so within the given time.

The Stamp Department is again under suspicion: a clerk allegedly carried out an unauthorised valuation, followed by a second valuation by another Sub-Registrar. The file moved during Khirolkar’s tenure, and incorrect valuation documents were even submitted before the Collector.

Officials say the chain from the landowner to both departments appears to be involved.