Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Vows Continued Probe into Pune’s 44 Sub-Registrars and Clerks
Pune, July 1, 2024: Forty-four sub-registrars and clerks were found guilty of registering fake non-agricultural (NA) permits and Gunthewari certificates. While these individuals have been reinstated, investigations are ongoing. Maharashtra Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil stated that further action will be taken based on inspection reports received from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). He provided this information in response to questions raised during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly regarding the registration of forged documents.
The fraudulent registrations included fake NA permits at the Sub-Registrar Office in Aundh. Following investigations, it was discovered that these officials had registered 10,000 fake purchase documents across Maharashtra. The authorities responded with actions such as suspension and transfer, though some officials were reinstated shortly afterward. The documents in question, including NA permits and occupancy certificates, have been forwarded to PMC, PCMC, PMRDA, and the Pune Collector Office for verification. Vikhe Patil emphasized that further steps will be taken upon receipt of the verification reports from these agencies.
He also mentioned that this action was taken under the provisions of the Indian Registration Act of 1908 against the involved parties. Among the 38 cases registered in the office of the Joint Sub Registrar Haveli, 20 cases have been filed in various police stations numbered 3, 11, 13, 19, 21, and 24. Only constructions authorized by PMC, PCMC, PMRDA, and the Collector’s office, and having a Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) number can be registered. Registration of unauthorized constructions has been prohibited for the past four years. Illegal constructions have proliferated in suburban areas, leading to thousands of unoccupied flats due to non-registration. Attempts were made to regularize these constructions based on forged documents, particularly fake NA orders.
It was revealed that officers in the district, who had never served as provincial officers in Pune, had their names used in these bogus orders, including direct IAS officers. Revenue authorities promptly verified these NA orders upon noticing discrepancies, confirming their fraudulent nature.
