Pune: Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar has claimed that 31 acres of land valued at ₹200 crores, earmarked for the rehabilitation of project-affected families of the Kasarsai Dam, was transferred through registered deeds before the official distribution orders were issued.
Dhangekar accused State Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of influencing this transaction.
Dhangekar's accusations surfaced after a cabinet meeting on Thursday (October 10), during which he observed that relevant ministers had hurried to Pune to issue orders regarding the land. He noted that the district administration worked late into the night to finalize these orders.
Emphasizing the importance of this land for the rehabilitation of affected individuals, Dhangekar has called for an investigation into the alleged land distribution scam and urged authorities to file criminal charges against those involved.
At a press conference following his submission of a formal statement to District Collector Dr. Suhas Divekar, Dhangekar alleged that individuals associated with Minister Vikhe-Patil were complicit in these irregularities. He accused Vikhe-Patil of having a significant role in the matter.
According to Dhangekar, this incident involves the illegal appropriation of government land in specific group numbers within Maval taluka, where rehabilitation for the Kasarsai project is intended.
The land is recorded under the name of the District Collector in the seven-bar documents, yet individuals including Sachin Shinde and Shweta Acharya—linked to Vikhe-Patil—are purportedly transferring this government land through registered deeds.
Dhangekar further pointed out that the distribution of land in the Kasarsai project area had been on hold for several years. However, he claimed that the revenue minister lifted this suspension for the financial gain of Shinde and Acharya.
He indicated that significant financial transactions were associated with this issue, criticizing the district administration for drafting a proposal to transfer the land while bypassing established rehabilitation protocols and land distribution policies to appease the ministers.
The Congress MLA asserted that this valuable land meant for the project-affected individuals is being misappropriated at a minimal price, according to the recommendations made by the district administration.
Despite the District Collector's name indicating the land as government property, Dhangekar claimed that political pressure led sub-registrars to prepare the deeds for the transaction.
He is demanding a high-level inquiry into the matter and called for criminal charges against all parties involved in the transfer and their aiding sub-registrars.