Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
Ex-village officials booked for forgery in Raigad land papers
NAVI MUMBAI: Three former gramsevaks and four former sarpanchs among others have been booked on charges of cheating and forgery for allegedly tampering with the land records of a nine-acre plot at Korlai village in Murud taluka of Raigad district, which is allegedly owned by the Uddhav Thackeray family.
As per the complaint filed by Sangita Laxman Bhangre, block development officer (BDO) of Murud Panchayat Samiti, one Anvey Naik owned the land and he had taken permission from the gram panchayat for constructing concrete houses on it. On April 30, 2014, Naik sold the plot to the second party (whose name is not mentioned in the FIR), Bhangre said.
While 16 (1) of Maharashtra Grampanchayat Tax and Fee Rules stipulates that the seller should inform the gram panchayat about the property sale within one year, the transaction was recorded on May 23, 2019, more than five years after the purchase agreement was signed, the BDO alleged in the complaint.
Further, the buyer forged the documents to make changes in the construction details on the land to reduce the taxation, the complainant said, adding a mere ₹2.38 lakh in tax was paid in 2020.
She claimed that the accused mentioned in her complaint had misused their positions and helped the buyer make the changes in the documents.
Police inspector Devidas Mupde from Revdanda police station, who is the investigating officer, refused to comment on the matter. Calls and messages to Raigad superintendent of police Somnath Gharge went unanswered.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said the case is for cheating, forgery done by local officials in the records related to 19 bungalows owned by the Thackerays.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind
Sawant questioned the outcome of the allegations made by Somaiya against Pratap Sarnaik, Bhawna Gawli and many others.
On Thursday, a case was registered under section 420 (cheating), 465 (punishment for forgery), 466 (forgery of record of court or of public register), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code.
The accused are identified as the then gramsevaks Devangana Vetkoli, Vinod Minde and Vedika Mhatre; the then sarpanchs Prashant Misal, Govind Waghmare, Reshma Misal and Reema Pitkar; and the then gram panchayat members.