Shiv Sena (UBT) MP accuses ministers and local leaders of facilitating alleged transfers of agricultural land to non-farmers; government inquiry is underway
Mumbai, Sept 2026 : Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged that agricultural and forest land worth around Rs 900 crore in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district had been illegally transferred to wealthy investors from outside the state, and demanded that the government make details of the transactions public.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut claimed that large tracts of agricultural land in Vengurla, Sawantwadi and Dodamarg talukas had been transferred to people who were not farmers, allegedly in violation of Maharashtra’s land laws.
Raut referred to restrictions governing the transfer of agricultural land and the state’s laws relating to fragmentation and consolidation of holdings. He alleged that transactions had taken place despite legal provisions regulating the sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturists.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also alleged that some cabinet ministers and local legislators from the Konkan region had facilitated the transactions. Without naming the individuals, he accused them of acting as intermediaries for outside investors and demanded that the government disclose details of any commissions allegedly earned in the process.
Raut further claimed that transactions worth around Rs 900 crore were reflected in official records, while additional unaccounted cash had allegedly changed hands. These claims have not been independently established.
He also alleged that portions of forest land acquired through the transactions were being cleared and claimed that some buyers had already taken physical possession of the properties.
Raut said NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil had previously raised concerns over land purchases in the region, but alleged that transactions continued despite the issue being brought to the authorities’ attention.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP also criticised the state Revenue Department, alleging that an inquiry into the land transactions had continued for nearly three years without producing effective enforcement action. He challenged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make public records of the disputed transactions, including the names of buyers and details of the parties involved.
Raut said he would lead a delegation of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers to Sindhudurg to inspect the sites where the alleged violations had taken place. The delegation, he said, would examine claims of environmental damage and violations of land laws.
The allegations come against the backdrop of a separate inquiry into suspected illegal purchases of agricultural land by non-farmers in Sindhudurg. A committee headed by the Konkan Divisional Commissioner is examining complaints concerning purchases in Dodamarg, Sawantwadi and Vengurla. Reports have said the inquiry has identified cases in which people from outside Maharashtra allegedly purchased agricultural land despite not being eligible as farmers.
The Maharashtra government had earlier said it would examine complaints of outsiders purchasing agricultural land by allegedly presenting themselves as farmers and take appropriate action after the inquiry committee submits its report.
Raut’s latest allegations therefore come as the official inquiry into Sindhudurg land transactions remains underway. The MP has called for wider disclosure of the transactions and alleged political involvement, while the findings of the government-appointed committee will determine whether specific land purchases violated applicable laws.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
