Pune: A magisterial court in Paud on Thursday rejected the bail application of suspended sub-registrar Ravindra B Taru (58), who was arrested by the Bavdhan police on Dec 7 in connection with the alleged illegal stamp duty waiver on the registration of a sale deed relating to a 40-acre Mundhwa govt land parcel.Taru is accused of registering the sale deed executed between Sheetal Tejwani, who claims to hold a power of attorney on behalf of 272 watandars (original holders of Mahar Watan land in Mundhwa taken over by the govt after the system was abolished), and Amadea Enterprises LLP, in which deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth, is a partner. The FIR registered by the Bavdhan police does not name Parth, but names Amadea’s other partner, Digvijay Patil, along with Tejwani and Taru. Both Tejwani and Taru are currently in judicial custody.
The court cited the “nature and gravity of the offence, prima facie material on record and the stage of investigation,” while noting that “the release of the accused could affect the investigation” and he may influence witnesses or tamper with official records.The court also rejected Taru’s plea for bail on medical grounds. He had claimed to be suffering from liver psoriasis since Jan 2025, but the court noted that “in the absence of recent medical reports indicating an acute or critical medical condition, it would not be just and proper to grant bail on medical grounds.”The court observed: “The allegations indicate that despite clear indicators of govt ownership and substantial stamp duty liability, Taru proceeded to register the document by charging a nominal amount, ie stamp paper of Rs500, resulting in an alleged loss of several crores of rupees to the state. At this prima facie stage, such acts cannot be treated as mere inadvertent or clerical mistakes.”According to the state, the illegal registration of the sale deed against a declared consideration of Rs300 crore caused an alleged loss of Rs21 crore in stamp duty revenue.
