Thane sub-registrar, agent booked for ₹14 crore stamp-duty fraud in 941 CIDCO-linked property registrations

The accused have been identified as Rajkumar Dahiphale, the then in-charge joint sub-registrar of the Thane No. 8 office, and Yogesh Chavan, a document registration agent. Police said investigations are also underway to identify other associates allegedly involved in the fraud

NAVI MUMBAI: An FIR has been registered against a former in-charge joint sub-registrar and a document registration agent for allegedly facilitating the illegal registration of hundreds of property documents linked to unauthorised buildings in areas under the jurisdiction of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), resulting in an estimated loss of nearly ₹14 crore to the state exchequer.

Thane sub-registrar, agent booked for ₹14 crore stamp-duty fraud in 941 CIDCO-linked property registrations

The FIR was registered at Turbhe police station under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 18(1)(c) of the Indian Registration Act and other provisions related to cheating.

The accused have been identified as Rajkumar Dahiphale, the then in-charge joint sub-registrar of the Thane No. 8 office, and Yogesh Chavan, a document registration agent. Police said investigations are also underway to identify other associates allegedly involved in the fraud.

According to the complaint filed by Jyoti Pandurang Rautar, 46, the current in-charge joint sub-registrar, the accused allegedly conspired to illegally register 941 property documents linked to unauthorised constructions in CIDCO areas between September 19, 2024 and July 25, 2025.

The registrations were carried out from the office of the Joint Sub-Registrar Class II, Thane No. 8, located at the Ellora Allrise building in Koparkhairane.

Police said the accused allegedly bypassed provisions of the Indian Registration Act and deliberately collected lower stamp duty while registering the documents.

“During the inquiry, it was found that the accused misused his official position and, in collusion with the agent and others, registered hundreds of documents linked to unauthorised buildings. By intentionally charging lower stamp duty, the accused caused a loss of approximately ₹13.99 crore to the state exchequer,” a police officer from Turbhe police station said.

The complainant stated that the alleged fraud not only resulted in financial losses to the Maharashtra government’s revenue department but also undermined public trust in the authenticity of registered property documents.

Police said the FIR was registered on March 5 following a detailed inquiry and examination of documentary evidence, including a report spanning more than 400 pages and official meeting records.

“Time was required to conduct a thorough inquiry, review the investigation report consisting of 446 pages of documents and meeting minutes, and obtain orders from senior authorities at the government level,” the officer added.