Ajit Pawar's firm slapped with Rs 42 crore stamp duty bill amid Pune land deal controversy

Mumbai(The Uttam Hindu): A controversy surrounds a 40-acre prime land in Pune's Mundhwa area, as Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar's firm, Amadea Enterprises LLP, cancels its Rs 300 crore purchase deal. The firm must now pay Rs 42 crore in stamp duty, including Rs 21 crore for the original deal and another Rs 21 crore for cancellation.

The Department of Registration and Stamps revealed that Amadea Enterprises had claimed a stamp duty exemption, citing plans for a data centre on the land. However, with the project abandoned, the exemption no longer applies.

The deal has sparked allegations of misappropriation and cheating, with an FIR filed against firm partner Digvijay Patil, representative Shital Tejwani, and sub-registrar R B Taru. Ajit Pawar maintains Parth was unaware the land belonged to the government.

The government land's market value is estimated at Rs 1,800 crore, raising questions about the original sale's legitimacy.