NAVI MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has ordered a fresh probe into alleged violations related to Ratnagiri land deals involving the state transport minister Anil Parab.
The probe has been ordered under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, after objections were raised over the inclusion of a sub-divisional officer (Dapoli), Sharad Pawar, in the first inquiry committee; the two-member panel was headed by Ratnagiri’s zilla parishad CEO.
Records in possession with TOI show that Parab sold a little over an acre of the sea-facing Sai Resort at Murud village, Dapoli taluka, to Kandivli resident Sadanad Kadam for Rs 1.1 crore.
The three-acre resort is allegedly illegal.
Parab told TOI, “I have sold my property in Murud village.” He declined to comment on allegations, levelled by, among others, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.
“It’s between them (the complainants and the plot’s owner),” said Parab.
The Ratnagiri collector ordered the fresh inquiry on Friday under section 257 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code on a complaint from Prasad Karve, an aide of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
The collector had formed the previous committee on May 25 to inquire into allegations of illegalities and violations that included those pertaining to land transaction, non-agricultural land permission, construction of a road to the resort, violation of CRZ rules, and house tax.
Of the property in question, Parab sold 4,250 sq m (1.05 acres) out of about 12,600 sq m to Kadam on December 29, 2020.
“Parab had purchased the land from Vibhas Sathe on May 2, 2017.
Sathe had illegally obtained the non-agricultural land with permission for a ground-plus-one building from the SDO, Dapoli.
But, Parab constructed three buildings, of which two are ground-plus-two,” alleged Somaiya.
“Parab violated land transaction rules, non-agricultural (NA) land permission, construction of buildings and road rules, CRZ rules, house tax rules, and resorted to forgery for the resort in collusion with the SDO, revenue staffers and others.
I had objected to SDO Dapoli Sharad Pawar’s inclusion in the inquiry committee as he had passed the non agricultural (NA) order with ground-plus-one permission and had complained about it to Dapoli police,” added Somaiya.
“I have demanded cancellation of the NA permission and demolition of the illegal structures in Aaple Sarkar portal,” said Karve.
The two-member committee comprising the zilla parishad CEO and SDO Dapoli was looking into Somaiya’s complaint.
Karve’s complaint will be probed under the new inquiry.
This has been learnt from separate letters (in TOI’s possession) written to the complainants by Sanjay Shinde, additional collector, Ratnagiri.
Shinde did not respond to calls and text for comment.
“The zilla parishad has jurisdiction over the assessment of all properties.
SDO is the (land) permission granting authority.
A report has been sought on the allegations,” said Dr Indurani Jakhar, CEO, Ratnagiri zilla parishad.