The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Meena Pandre, a 50-year-old former deputy superintendent of land records, on Monday for her involvement in the alleged manipulation of documents related to plots in ecologically sensitive coastal regulation zones (CRZ) and no development zones (NDZ) in Malad (West). Pandre was in charge of land records between 2011 and 2014 at the Bandra office of the Land Records department.
The scam came to light when Vaibhav Thakur, a farmer from Erangal village in Malad, noticed illegal construction activities on his ancestral farmland. Thakur filed complaints with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Goregaon police, raising concerns about fraudulent document manipulations that allowed plots within CRZ and NDZ areas to be developed.
In October 2024, Thakur filed a petition with the Bombay High Court, which directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Crime Branch to probe the case. This led to the registration of four FIRs, including one from 2020 and two from 2021, being investigated by various police units. The latest FIR, filed in December 2021 at Kherwadi police station, unveiled the extent of forged documents used to facilitate illegal constructions.
Pandre’s arrest marks the fourth in connection to this case. Previously, Nitin Salunkhe, another deputy superintendent, discovered the forgeries and began an investigation. The police have also arrested Jaywant Gangurde, a clerk from the same department, and two real estate agents, Inam K and Narasimha, for their roles in the scam.
Pandre has been remanded to judicial custody after being presented in court. The investigation continues as the authorities examine further connections to the fraudulent activities.
