Maharashtra Stamp Duty Scam Accountant General Task Force Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that a state-level investigation into alleged irregularities in stamp duty registration process within the revenue department will now be conducted by the Accountant General (AG)’s office, with a dedicated independent task force to be established for the purpose.

The minister made this announcement on Thursday in response to a question raised by Legislative Assembly member Jitendra Awhad. Member Nana Patole also raised a supplementary question during the proceedings.

Bawankule stated that the AG will conduct a thorough investigation into all “adjudication” cases that occurred across the state between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026. He emphasised that the government will not stop at merely ordering an inquiry; an independent task force will operate under the guidance of the AG.

The state government will provide the necessary manpower, resources, and funds for this investigation. The revenue department will not conduct this investigation itself; instead, the entire matter will be handed over to the AG, and every case will be examined by the task force. He further stated that if any violations of the Stamp Act are discovered during this inquiry, strict actions, including suspension and the filing of criminal cases, will be taken against the officials involved.

Minister Bawankule noted that after senior clerk Rajkumar Dahiphale from Thane district took charge as the stamp duty officer, over 941 documents were registered in just 10 days. It is alleged that these registrations involved serious violations of the MRTP Act, 1966, and legal provisions related to stamp duty registration.

The registration of unauthorised buildings resulted in a loss of approximately Rs 13.91 crore to the government. A criminal case has been registered at the police station in this matter, and the concerned official has been suspended. Following the receipt of the inquiry report, the government has initiated proceedings toward his dismissal from service.

Stating that while the adjudication process in the stamp department is “quasi-judicial” in nature, it must be carried out strictly within the framework of the Stamp Act, Minister Bawankule announced that an order for a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued. He further added that a Government Resolution (GR) will be issued to introduce provisions for filing criminal cases against officials who engage in irregular adjudication in the future.