CJI Gavai’s First Verdict Declares 1998 Pune Forest Land In Kondhwa Transfer Illegal, Exposes Political-Bureaucratic Nexus
CJI Gavai’s First Verdict Declares 1998 Pune Forest Land In Kondhwa Transfer Illegal, Exposes Political-Bureaucratic Nexus
New Delhi, May 15, 2025: In his inaugural ruling as the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice Bhushan R. Gavai has delivered a landmark judgment, striking down the 1998 transfer of forest land in Pune as illegal. The Supreme Court ordered the disputed land to be restored to the forest department and condemned the deep-rooted collusion between politicians, bureaucrats, and real estate developers.
“This case exemplifies the dangerous nexus between the political class, administrators, and builders,” the Supreme Court Bench remarked while passing the judgment.
The matter concerned 11.86 acres of forest land in Kondhwa Budruk, Pune, which the Maharashtra Revenue Department had transferred to Richie Rich Colony, a private developer, despite opposition from the Forest Department. The court also invalidated the environmental clearance granted to the project, declaring it unlawful.
According to the court, the Maharashtra government’s swift reclassification of forest land in July and August 1998 raised serious suspicions about high-level political involvement. “The urgency and manner in which the land use was altered suggests direct participation of the then revenue minister,” the court observed.
National Implications
CJI Gavai’s verdict has far-reaching consequences. The Supreme Court instructed all states and Union Territories to review similar cases where forest land might have been diverted for non-forest purposes. It ordered that such lands must be handed back to the forest departments.
The court further emphasized that reserved forest land cannot be leased or transferred without prior clearance from the central government. “State authorities have no right to assign or lease forest land without obtaining approval from the Centre,” the Bench ruled.
Restoration and Compensation
The judgment also instructed Chief Secretaries across the country to ensure that all forest lands held by government agencies are officially transferred to their respective forest departments. In cases where land has been illegally repurposed, compensation in the form of afforestation must be calculated and implemented.
This powerful ruling sets the tone for Justice Gavai’s tenure as CJI, marking a strong stance against land misuse and reinforcing environmental protections across the country.
