--Stamp Duty Department under suspicion
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The Government has suffered losses due to irregularities in mutation entries and stamp duty payments concerning 250 acres of land in Gats (nos. 11, 12, 26, 37, and 42) at Abdimandi,
MLC Eknath Khadse raised the issue in the legislature, claiming it to be a scam worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore. It has emerged that there is no information in the registry department about whether the Rs 6.5 crore land purchase was made in cash, via RTGS, or by cheque.
This has placed the stamp duty department under suspicion.
The Abdimandi matter is sub-judice and land transactions are officially restricted, but buying and selling reportedly continue through bond paper agreements, indicating negligence by the revenue authorities.
Manu and Tanvi Agarwal, along with a third person, purchased the land and completed the Rs 6.5 crore transaction in a single day.
There is no record of how much stamp duty was paid or the mode of payment. No action was taken against anyone. Questions were raised about possible political pressure and why the then tehsildar was promoted instead of being suspended.
All these issues remain unresolved. Legislators expressed concern that such unchecked land dealings could lead to large-scale disorder.
The stamp duty department is reportedly functioning without proper oversight, with brokers operating at the discretion of officials. Sub-registrars who have remained posted for years allegedly undervalue properties, enabling large-scale transactions at reduced valuations.
In the Abdimandi case as well, the source of the Rs 6.5 crore has remained unclear for the past two years.
Box
Minister’s response to Khadse’s questions:
MLA Khadse raised the Abdimandi issue in the legislature. Responding to it, Minister of State Yogesh Kadam stated that as per the points raised, a land-related matter occurred at Abdimandi in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and a report had received.
A proposal was sent for approval under the All India Services framework to initiate an inquiry against the District Collector.
"Departmental inquiries have been started against the secondary registrar, talathi, and circle officer. Action will be taken after the report is received,” he said.