Pune Sub-Registrar Suspended for Causing ₹3.84 Crore Revenue Loss
Pune Sub-Registrar Suspended for Causing ₹3.84 Crore Revenue Loss
Sub-registrar Raju Donde from the Haveli 24 office has been suspended by the inspector-general of registration and stamps (IGR) for allegedly causing a ₹3.84 crore revenue loss to the state government, officials confirmed on Monday. Donde, suspended on May 23, is accused of registering properties below official market rates, leading to the collection of lower stamp duties, and failing to register certain documents despite stamp duty payments.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the suspension follows a detailed investigation conducted by sub-district registrar Santosh Hingane, who uncovered multiple irregularities in Donde’s conduct. After the probe, Donde was stripped of his powers even before his suspension. The IGR office recommended his immediate suspension, and the state government, through additional chief secretary (revenue) Satyanarayan Bajaj, issued the suspension orders.
Hingane told Hindustan Times, “The official has been suspended, and notices have been sent to those who paid less stamp duty, instructing them to pay the balance according to market rates applicable at the time of registration. Donde will remain suspended pending further inquiry.”
A special IGR-appointed squad examined 2,228 documents in two phases — 425 in the first and 1,803 in the second. They flagged 55 documents as objectionable, revealing underpaid stamp duty and registration fees totaling ₹3.19 crore, which contributed to the revenue loss.
This is not an isolated case in Pune. In October 2023, joint sub-registrar S P Bhatambekar was suspended after being found to have charged only ₹500 in registration fees where ₹24.90 crore was due. Bhatambekar was transferred and barred from leaving his district headquarters during the inquiry.
Earlier, in April 2022, the state revenue department suspended 44 officials from 27 Pune sub-registrar offices for illegally registering over 10,500 documents, violating the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) and Maharashtra’s Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act.
