Mumbai, Jan 6 (PTI) Four persons, including two former Maharashtra government employees, have been arrested for allegedly tampering with property records to convert plots in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) and no development zone (NDZ) for construction along Mumbai’s coastline, an official said on Monday.
The accused were arrested last week by a special investigation team (SIT), which was set up following the Bombay High Court’s order to probe the land scam, the official said.
He said the probe revealed that some estate agents, state government and civic officials and contractors were involved in converting plots in Malad, Marve, Versova and other locations along the Mumbai coastline.
It also came to light that 102 property maps were tampered with, including city survey numbers and altered boundaries, he said.
The official said the SIT has summoned government employees and BMC officials for questioning in connection with the scam.
A petition in this regard was filed by one Vaibhav Mohan Thakur, claiming the police did not probe a complaint he lodged at Goregaon police station in 2021.
The high court, in October 2024, termed the allegations serious but said there was lethargy on the part of the concerned police officers.
The court then directed that a SIT be set up to probe the case.
Thakur, in his plea, alleged that 884 maps were forged and some houses/bungalows have been shown as having been constructed prior to 1964.
He further claimed that the majority of the maps relating to the construction at Madh Island were manipulated to get an exemption under the CRZ and to show that they existed before 1964.
On December 5, 2024, the SIT submitted a status report to the high court, claiming the investigation in the case was underway.
The high court directed all revenue authorities, including the BMC and the Coastal Regulation Zone Authority, to cooperate with the probe and supply all information to the SIT.
The court will hear the plea in February.
Thakur’s plea stated that government officials, estate agents and contractors were involved in the alleged scam of altering land records in Marve, Madh Island, Versova and other ecologically sensitive spots.
As per the plea, Thakur owns an ancestral farm in Malad, where he noticed illegal construction on his land and adjoining lands. He then approached the police and lodged a case. PTI DC SP ARU
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.