The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case against a circle officer in Pune district for allegedly demanding Rs 20,000 to record a purchased property in the 7/12 land extract and mutation records, according to a report based on information released by the agency.
The case was registered at Paud police station against Rohini Shashank Gupte, 57, a circle officer posted in Ghotawade in Mulshi taluka. The report said Gupte was taken into custody for investigation.
The complaint was filed by a 40-year-old person who had purchased two land parcels in Kemsewadi. The complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau after allegedly being asked to pay money for recording the transactions in the relevant land records.
According to information attributed to the ACB, the alleged demand involved Rs 20,000 for two entries. Gupte allegedly told the complainant that Rs 5,000 each would have to be paid for each entry for herself and the talathi, bringing the total to Rs 20,000.
The 7/12 extract is a key land record used in Maharashtra to show details connected with agricultural land, including ownership and cultivation-related entries. Mutation records document changes in land records following transactions or other legally relevant events. Delays or disputes in these entries can affect property holders seeking to establish updated records after a purchase.
The ACB said it verified the complaint in the presence of independent witnesses on July 28. During that verification, Gupte allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 for herself and agreed to accept the amount, the report said. The case was subsequently registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The allegation concerns the demand and acceptance arrangement described during the ACB verification. Registration of a case does not establish guilt, and the investigation will determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged demand, the role of other officials and the status of the land-record entries.
The action was carried out by an ACB team under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent of Police Ajit Patil. Deputy Superintendent of Police Satish Walke and inspectors Pravin Nimbalkar and Ashok Gawari were part of the team, according to the report.
The immediate administrative and legal next steps will depend on the investigation and proceedings arising from the case registered at Paud police station.
