SIT Formed to Probe Land Scam Allegations Against Rajendra Ghanwat

Tejas Navale

Pune, May 1, 2025: In the recent allegation made against Rajendra Ghanwat, who is considered a close associate of Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) leader and former minister Dhananjay Munde, the government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to enquire into the case. Ghanwat was accused of cheating farmers in the Pune district and in the state by embezzling their lands.

In this regard, the SIT has been instructed to report to the government within one month. The decision has been taken by the state Revenue and Forest Department. The Deputy Secretary of this department, Satyanarayan Bajaj, has issued orders in this regard.

The Divisional Commissioner will head the SIT, while the District Collector will act as secretary, and the Inspector General of Registration, Commissioner, and Director of Land Records will serve as members of this investigation team.

A few days ago, the social activist Anjali Damania had alleged Rajendra Ghanwat, who is considered a close aide of Dhananjay Munde, of forcefully taking the lands of farmers and defrauding them. In this regard, Damania had also met Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and demanded investigation of the matter. After that, a special inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter.

In this regard, the SIT will probe how many purchase transactions have been made in the state in the name of Ghanwat and his family members as well as under ‘Ghanwat Agro Private Limited’. Further, it will also check whether the lands allotted to their affiliated organisations and companies for non-agricultural purposes have been purchased at a price lower than the market price and how many cases of purchase transactions of Scheduled Tribe account holders and new condition lands have been made without permission.