Illegal constructions case: ED arrests former civic chief of Vasai-Virar, 3 others
The four accused — others are Deputy Director of Urban Planning (suspended) YS Reddy, former corporator and construction businessman Sitaram Gupta and one Arun Gupta — will be produced before the PMLA court on Thursday, an official said.
The ED had raided 12 places including Pawar's residence, in Vasai-Virar, Mumbai, Pune and Nashik in connection with the case.
During the raids, cash worth Rs 1.33 crore was seized from the house of Pawar's relative in Nashik. Apart from this, sources informed that property documents were also seized in this operation.
Information about unaccounted assets related to Pawar has been found in the raids in Nashik and Pune, an official said.
During the raids conducted at the premises of Reddy, Rs 8.6 crore cash and diamond jewellery and gold worth Rs 23.25 crore were seized.
Along with this, several incriminating documents were also seized.
The ED had started the investigation in this case based on various cases filed by the Mira-Bhayander Police Commissionerate.
The case relates to 41 residential and commercial buildings that were illegally constructed on an area of about 60 acres. For this, the accused builders and local brokers had allegedly prepared fake approval documents. Through this, a large number of flats were sold by gaining the trust of the buyers.
The Bombay High Court had ordered the demolition of 41 illegal buildings within the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation limits on July 8, 2024.
Against this, the residents had filed a special permission petition in the Supreme Court, but it was rejected. After that, on February 20, 2025, the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation took action against all 41 buildings.
The ED investigation revealed that the then Commissioner, Deputy Director of Urban Planning, junior engineers, architects, chartered accountants (CAs) and intermediaries of the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation were involved in illegal construction in an organised manner.
According to an official, after the appointment of Anil Pawar, a bribe of Rs 20-25 per sq ft was fixed for the commissioner and Rs 10 per sq ft for deputy director of Urban Planning Reddy.
The ED had also recently questioned Pawar and his wife in the case.
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