Pune, May 12 (PTI) The Maharashtra State Chief Controlling Revenue Authority has rejected the appeal filed by Amadea Enterprises LLP and upheld an earlier order directing payment of nearly Rs 21 crore towards stamp duty and penalty in connection with a controversial high-value land deal in Pune's Mundhwa.

In an order issued on April 28, 2026, Chief Controlling Revenue Authority and IAS officer Ravindra Binwade affirmed the December 10, 2025 ruling passed by the Joint District Registrar Class-I and Collector of Stamps, Pune City, in the sale deed of 40 acres land in Mundhwa.

The case relates to a sale deed executed on May 20, 2025, in which Sheetal Tejwani, a power attorney holder of 40 acre government land in Mundhwa, allegedly sold it to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a firm co-partnered by Parth Pawar, son of late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for Rs 300 crore.

The deal came under scanner after it came to light that while executing the sale deed, a stamp duty of Rs 21 crore was waived.

Amadea Enterprises LLP had paid only Rs 500 as stamp duty, claiming complete exemption under the Maharashtra IT/ITES Policy 2023 on the strength of a Letter of Intent issued by the District Industries Centre (DIC), Pune.

Two separate police cases were registered against Tejwani, Digvijay Patil, the partner in Amadea Enterprises LLP and two government officials - Ravindra Taru, sub-registrar who facilitated the deal and Tehsildar Suryakant Yeole, who had issued a letter to Botanical Survey of India (a tenant on the land) directing them to vacate the land.

Following the row, the embattled Amadea Enterprises LLP was slapped a notice by the IGR office to pay the stamp duty worth Rs 21 crore along with penalties. Amadea LLP, however, filed an appeal stating that the exemption taken by them were justified.

In the order, the revenue authority, however, ruled that the exemption claim was untenable and sustained the recovery action initiated by the Collector of Stamps.

The order stated that show-cause notices were issued on October 30, November 7 and November 10, 2025, following which the company was granted a hearing on December 4, 2025. The firm appeared through its advocates and submitted a detailed written reply.

After examining the sale deed and related documents, the Joint District Registrar and Collector of Stamps assessed the total stamp duty liability at Rs 21 crore. This included five per cent duty under Article 25(b)(i) of Schedule I of the Maharashtra Stamp Act, besides an additional one per cent levy each under Sections 149A and 149B of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949.

After adjusting the Rs 500 already paid, the deficit stamp duty payable was determined at Rs 20,99,99,500.

Authorities also initiated penalty proceedings under Section 39 (1)(b) of the Maharashtra Stamp Act. The penalty amount, calculated at one per cent per month from May 20, 2025, was assessed at Rs 1,46,99,765 up to December 19, 2025, with further accrual applicable until payment is made.

The company, in which Parth Pawar is a 99 per cent stakeholder, has been given liberty to challenge the order before the state government under Section 53B of the Maharashtra Stamp Act within 60 days.

Parth Pawar, whose mother Sunetra Pawar is Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president, is the party's Rajya Sabha member. PTI SPK NP

Stamp duty exemption claim rejected, with recovery of deficit duty and penalty sustained on a high-value land sale deed. Stamp duty exemption claims for a high-value land sale deed in Mundhwa were rejected, and the recovery of deficit duty and penalty was sustained after appellate review by the Maharashtra State Chief Controlling Revenue Authority. After issuance of show-cause notices and consideration of the company's written reply, the Collector of Stamps assessed duty liability at about Rs 21 crore, including duty under the Maharashtra Stamp Act and additional municipal levies. The authority held that the exemption claim was untenable and affirmed the earlier order directing payment of the stamp duty and penalty.