By Disha Gupta
At least 60 project-affected persons (PAPs) who are under the scanner for illegally procuring govt land parcels using forged and fabricated documents have received letters from the Pune district administration.
These 60 PAPs are from the Pune district’s Panshet, Virbaji Pasalkar, Pavana, and Nazare dam projects. A three-member, high-powered state-level committee was established in response to the October 2023 ruling of the Bombay High Court to identify them.
The court then asked that the state identify illegal procurement of PAPs in Maharashtra acquiring government lands illegally. A senior district official who did not wish to be named, told TOI on Monday, “We have served notices to all the parties concerned, and the 60 PAPs will be heard next week.” “The inquiry is likely to take three to four months,” he said.
The High Court said in its ruling from October 2023, ” such allotments are certainly required to be investigated and if found to be illegal or vitiated by fraud, the state govt was required to take appropriate action to recall such allotments after following due procedure as per law.” When those whose land acquisition process ended in 1961 with compensation sought and obtained alternate land under a 1999 plan, the state government was explicitly directed to look into possible fraud in land allocations.
District officials said that in order to determine whether false claims were made or whether government procedures were avoided, the inquiry committee would review documentation, compensation records, and the legal basis for each distribution.
“The concerned individuals have been served notices, and they would have to come for hearings on the said allotments,” said officials.
To inquire into the illegal distribution and record their report of action, a high-level committee was set up under the principal secretary of the department and other officers, including the commissioner and collector of the appropriate district.