Leading builder, 5 others held in Rs 450 cr land scam

Pune, Oct 27 (UNI) The police has arrested a leading builder, Pradeep Runwal, and five others including two corporators in a land scam running into crores of rupees.

The scam is estimated at Rs 450 crore. Along with Runwal, Anil Jadhav and Shankar Pawar both Congress corporators of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Shivaji Gadate-Patil, former corporator Satish Dhotre and Shivaji Chowgule, a former Runwal employee were also arrested by the police.

The six were arrested yesterday, the police said. They were produced before a local court which remanded them to police custody till October 31.

Runawal has been arrested for allegedly forging land documents of 270 farmers and mortgaging the same for Rs 450 crore in banks.

Besides, he also forged signatures of nearly 35 farmers, who were long dead.

This matter was known to Chowgule who colluded with the others, including the two corporators, to extort the builder on the threat of exposing him.

Fed up with the frequent extortion threats, Runwal finally approached the police, following which he along with the five others, were arrested.

UNI