Kharghar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a notice to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) seeking documents related to a land allocation in Kharghar, marking what is believed to be the agency’s first involvement in a CIDCO land transaction case.

The inquiry pertains to a 2,500 sq. m. plot in Sector 7, Kharghar, reportedly valued at over Rs 60 crore. The land was allotted to Shirish Gharat under the one-for-one compensation policy, following his claim that his land in Belpada had not been acquired by CIDCO. However, officials later obtained documents suggesting that the Belpada land had already been sold by Gharat to a private developer.

Subsequently, CIDCO’s then Urban Settlement Officer, Asha Bansode, filed a police complaint against Gharat, citing alleged misrepresentation. The allotment agreement was cancelled, though Gharat later obtained relief through the High Court and the plot was restored to him.

In the course of the ongoing police investigation, the ED has requested all relevant records, including those linked to the complaint. CIDCO officials confirmed that Bansode has responded to the ED notice.

The land transaction is also under litigation between Gharat and Vidarbha Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., a company involved in a disputed sale of the plot. Its director has accused Gharat of fraud, while Gharat has alleged irregularities in the land acquisition process by CIDCO and stated that additional compensatory land is still due.

CIDCO has not issued an official comment on the ED notice.