Sub-registrar suspended for causing ₹3.84 crore loss to state exchequer

Sub-registrar Raju Donde of the Haveli 24 office has been suspended by the inspector-general of registration and stamps (IGR) for allegedly causing a revenue loss of ₹3.84 crore to the state government, officials said on Monday. Donde, who was suspended on May 23, is accused of registering properties in violation of official market rates by collecting lower stamp duties and failing to register some documents despite stamp duty being paid.

Donde’s suspension follows a detailed report submitted by sub-district registrar Santosh Hingane, who investigated Donde’s conduct and highlighted multiple irregularities. Even before the suspension, the IGR had already stripped Donde of his powers after the irregularities came to light.

Hingane told Hindustan Times, “The official has been suspended and notices have been issued to parties who paid lesser stamp duty, directing them to pay the deficit as per the market rates applicable on the date of registration. Donde will remain under suspension until the completion of further inquiry.”

Based on Hingane’s findings, the IGR office recommended immediate suspension and sent a proposal to the state government. Acting on this, additional chief secretary (revenue) Satyanarayan Bajaj issued suspension orders.

A special squad appointed by the IGR examined 2,228 documents in two phases — 425 documents in the first phase and 1,803 documents in the second phase. Of these, 55 documents were flagged as objectionable. The probe found that stamp duty and registration fees amounting to ₹3.19 crore were underpaid, resulting in a significant loss to the government.

This is not the first such case in Pune. In October 2023, joint sub-registrar S P Bhatambekar was suspended after the vigilance department found that he had charged just ₹500 as registration fee in a case where ₹24.90 crore was due. Bhatambekar was transferred to Gadchiroli during the inquiry and barred from leaving the district headquarters or accepting any private employment without government permission.

Prior to that in April 2022, the state revenue department suspended 44 officials from 27 sub-registrar offices in Pune for illegally registering over 10,500 documents in defiance of a government ban. The vigilance squad found these officials had violated the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) and Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act.