Land grab and extortion racket exposed in Mukundwadi

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a dramatic development, a case of land grabbing and extortion has been registered at Mukundwadi Police Station, involving seven individuals, including a relative of a prominent legislator. The accused are alleged to have forcibly seized land and demanded money from the rightful owner for its return, leaving residents shaken.

Suresh Shinde, a 58-year-old resident of Masantpur, filed the complaint after discovering that his newly purchased plots in Survey No. 45 at Mukundwadi had been illegally taken over. Shinde had bought the land in October 2024, but the accused—Banshilal Koche, Ajay Mhaskhe, Deva VeerDeepak Chavan, Sanjay Rathod, and his wife are accused of forging documents and taking possession of the property. To make matters worse, they allegedly threatened Shinde and demanded money to return the plots.

The case came to light on January 7 when Shinde, alarmed by the situation, approached the Mukundwadi Police. Acting swiftly on the complaint, PSI Pandurang Dake, under the orders of PI Shivaji Tawre, registered the case. Further investigation is being carried out by PSI Shivaji Ghorpade.

The plot thickens as it is revealed that Shinde is not the only victim. Survey No. 45 contains a total of 138 plots, and nine other complainants have come forward, claiming they too have fallen prey to the same land-grabbing racket. Locals suspect that a well-organized gang has been operating in the area, taking advantage of legal loopholes to seize land from unsuspecting buyers. Authorities have promised swift action and assured that they will leave no stone unturned in bringing the culprits to justice.