In a significant development concerning the 65 illegal buildings case in Dombivli, the Kalyan tehsildar has directed the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against a builder accused of forging land records to facilitate the construction of an unauthorised building in Ayre village. The developer allegedly prepared false 7/12 land records and a non-agricultural land certificate to construct the building.
Shiv Sena (UBT) district president Dipesh Mhatre, who has been actively following up on the revenue department’s actions, uncovered the forged documents during his investigation into the errant builders. Mhatre brought this to the attention of the Kalyan Revenue Department, leading to further scrutiny of the land records.
Tehsildar Swapnil Shejal confirmed that after an internal investigation, the revenue department officials found the documents submitted by the builder to be forged. In response, Shejal instructed the Ramnagar police to file an FIR against Shalik Bhagat, a partner at Sai Developers, the company responsible for the construction. She also wrote to MahaRERA, requesting verification of the 7/12 documents submitted by the other 64 builders involved in the illegal constructions.
In November 2024, the Bombay High Court had ordered the demolition of the 65 illegal buildings constructed in Kalyan-Dombivli by developers using forged RERA certificates. Petitioner Sandeep Patil has urged MahaRERA to impose penalties on the errant builders under Section 60 of the RERA Act, which stipulates fines for developers who provide false information while applying for RERA certification. Patil emphasized that the penalty should be calculated based on the cost of the projects, and the funds should be allocated to compensate the affected homebuyers before the demolition takes place.
This move by the Kalyan tehsildar and the ongoing investigation highlight efforts to curb illegal construction and ensure accountability in the real estate sector.