Maha govt appoints special task forces to probe stamp duty irregularities and illegal mining
Mumbai, June 25
The Maharashtra government will establish two independent task forces, one to investigate alleged irregularities in the stamp duty registration process and another to curb illegal minor mineral excavation across the state.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule made the announcements on Thursday during Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly. Responding to a question raised by MLA Jitendra Awhad and a supplementary query by MLA Nana Patole, the minister said a state-level inquiry into alleged malpractices in stamp duty registrations will be handed over to the Accountant General (AG) office.
The AG will conduct a thorough investigation into all stamp duty adjudication cases processed between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026. Rather than an Internal Revenue Department inquiry, an independent task force will operate under the direct guidance of the AG, with the government providing manpower, resources and funding.
Bawankule said that if violations of the Stamp Act are found, guilty officials will face suspension, criminal charges and strict disciplinary action.
He cited a case involving Senior Clerk Rajkumar Dahifale, who registered over 941 documents within 10 days of taking charge as a Stamp Officer. These registrations allegedly violated the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966, resulting in a revenue loss of approximately Rs 13.91 crore.
A police case has already been registered, the officer suspended, and the government is moving toward dismissing him once the final inquiry report is received.
The minister emphasised that although the adjudication process in the stamp department is quasi-judicial, it must strictly follow the Stamp Act. He said a new SOP and administrative orders will be issued to register criminal cases against any official found engaging in illegal adjudication.
In a separate discussion on illegal minor mineral mining, raised by MLA Nana Patole, with MLA Bhaskar Jadhav participating, Bawankule said the government will set up a dedicated task force to combat the menace.
Addressing a delayed case at Sakhar Phata in Gadchiroli, he admitted to delays in securing permission to file a criminal complaint. To prevent future lapses, the Gadchiroli District Collector has been instructed to book perpetrators under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act.
Under the Central Government's mining scheme, District Collectors serve as chairpersons of district-level mining committees. Fresh directives will be issued to all Collectors to mandatorily conduct monthly review meetings, he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is good but why only from 2021? What about earlier irregularities? My family in Thane faced huge issues with stamp duty overvaluation in 2019. The government always wakes up late. Still, better late than never. Let's see if the AG actually has the balls to catch the big fish.
Interesting approach. In the US, we have dedicated task forces for financial crimes too, but implementation is key. The MPDA angle for illegal mining is a serious move though — preventive detention is heavy-handed but might be needed for repeat offenders destroying rivers and fields.
Gadchiroli illegal mining is a huge issue! The local mafia has been operating for decades, destroying forests and rivers. Just booking people under MPDA won't work unless the administration stops taking bribes. District Collectors need to grow a backbone and actually hold those monthly meetings.
It's encouraging to see transparency efforts in Indian states. The SOP for criminal cases against officials is a strong deterrent. But 5 years of data to review? That's a massive workload for the AG. Hope they have enough staff — otherwise this will drag on forever. Accountability matters!
My only concern: who will investigate the task force itself? In Maharashtra, these committees often end up being filled with the same corruption-friendly officers. I appreciate the move but real change needs independent oversight. Also, illegal mining in Konkan is destroying our coastline — hope they cover that too!
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