Chief Minister stays controversial Navi Mumbai land deal

Devendra Fadnavis

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, after ordering a judicial probe, has also stayed all transactions in the alleged land scam in Navi Mumbai in which serious charges were made against him and his party colleague.

The Congress leaders have accused the CM, a BJP legislator Prasad Lad and government agencies of causing a loss of Rs 1,700 crore to the exchequer by allowing land transfer to a private builder. The 24-acre plot of land was allotted to project-affected people (PAP) from Koyna, who in turn sold the land to a private builder. They alleged that the deal and transfer were facilitated and expedited in record time.

Fadnavis denied all allegations and ordered a judicial probe on Thursday in the Vidhan Sabha. On Friday, he made a statement in the upper house. "All transactions related to this deal have been stayed. The revenue department has been asked to not create any third party interest and no further transactions will be done till the inquiry is over," he said.

Along with the deal in question, the CM has also asked for 200 similar deals done during the Congress-NCP regime to be probed. The judicial panel is expected to be constituted following due procedure, said sources in the government.

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