MUMBAI With the Vikas Kharge Committee all set to submit its report in the ₹300 crore Mundhwa land scam, in Pune, involving deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth, in a couple of days, the state government has initiated the termination process of the two government officials – sub registrar from stamp duty and registration department Ravindra Taru and tehsildar from the Pune collectorate Suryakant Yevale — using its discretionary powers under article 311 of the Constitution of India.
This is the first such action against any government official other than a police officer. Article 311 does not need any inquiry unlike other departmental inquiries. Taru and Yevale were suspended from their services in November 2025 after the controversy over the illegal registration of the land deal surfaced.
Officials privy to the development told HT that the probe committee – comprising officers from various departments and led by additional chief secretary Vikas Kharge from the revenue department – has not held Parth Pawar responsible for the illegal deals. After ascertaining the irregularities of the deal, the committee has placed the responsibility on the suspended officers for registering the land owned by the government by flouting rules.
It is believed that the report has indicted Digvijay Patil, one of the directors in Amedia Enterprises LLP, headed by Parth, for not paying the stamp duty of ₹21 lakh, but has left it to the police to take action against Parth, following further investigation.
The controversy over the Mundhwa land erupted in November 2025, involving Sheetal Tejwani, who was the power of attorney (PoA) holder for the approximately 40- to 43-acre government-owned land parcel — Mahar Watan Land — currently leased to the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), and Patil, who were accused of manipulating records and illegally transferring ownership rights of the land to the company. Though Parth is a partner in Amedia, he has not been named in the FIR or the chargesheet.
Taru and Tejwani were subsequently arrested while Yevale is on anticipatory bail.
The state government appointed Kharge Committee in November 2025 to probe the alleged irregularities and recommend steps to avoid any such occurrences in future.
“The committee was tasked to probe if there were any irregularities, how a land owned by the government was registered, fix responsibilities for the irregularities and suggest steps to restore the land. It was also tasked to recommend measures to avoid any such irregularities in the future,” said an official who has seen the fine print of the report. “The irregularities have been proven and responsibility has been fixed on two officers and Tejwani. The land parcel has not been transferred and still remains government-owned and in the possession of BSI.”
It is also believed that the committee has stated that Taru committed “grave mistakes as the notification issued on April 28, 2025, just 22 days before the registration of the land on May 20, was grossly violated. The notification clearly stated that no government land or the land without 7/12 extract and property card should not be registered.”
An official from the revenue department said: “The special powers are invoked when a cop is found guilty in grave crimes such as rape, corruption and drug peddling. In this case we have sought guidance from the home and general administration departments.”