Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule revealed a significant 13-year-old scam in the Nashik Municipal Corporation area, where housing designated for economically weaker sections was systematically diverted. A total of 197 individuals have been implicated, with FIRs lodged against 104 of them. The minister assured that a detailed ‘Action Taken Report’ will be presented during the upcoming Winter Session of the state legislature.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the scam has requested a two-month extension due to its extensive nature. The final SIT report is expected to be submitted by August 18, 2026. Following this, the government will review the findings over the subsequent two months and present a comprehensive ‘Action Taken Report’ in the December Winter Session. Bawankule emphasized that no wrongdoer will escape punishment.
Developers and government officials collaborated to manipulate regulations mandating a 20% reservation for economically weaker sections in housing projects developed on plots of 4 acres or more. By falsifying maps and dividing land parcels, they evaded the reservation rule. The investigation has exposed a well-coordinated conspiracy involving officials from key departments, including MHADA, Nashik Town Planning, and the Land Records Department.
A senior official from the Land Records Department retired to facilitate the scam and allegedly earned significantly more than his official salary. Despite fleeing initially, he was apprehended abroad by the Revenue Department, brought back, and detained for interrogation. A high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been established to delve into the scam, with several arrests made among the 197 accused individuals.
