Booked over land deal involving firm linked to Parth Pawar: HC declares Tejwani arrests in two cases illegal, upholds Pune city police FIR

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Written by: Omkar Gokhale4 min readApr 19, 2026 08:34 AM IST Parth Pawar with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. (Archive) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT The Bombay High Court on Friday declared the arrest of businessperson Sheetal Tejwani by Pune Police in two separate cases by Pimpri and Bavdhan police stations, which come under Pimpri-Chinchwad Police, as illegal and ordered her release in those two cases. However, the HC upheld her arrest in an FIR by Khadak police station (Pune city) and dismissed her plea alleging illegal detention and remand orders in the case. Tejwani was booked by Khadak and Bavdhan police stations in connection with alleged irregularities in a land deal involving a firm linked to late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth. Pimpri police station had registered offences against her in the Seva Vikas Cooperative Bank loan fraud case. The HC observed that the grounds of arrest in the two cases (Bavdhan and Pimpri) were not communicated to her as per procedure at the time of arrest or before she was produced before the court. A single judge bench of Justice N J Jamadar on Friday passed rulings on Tejwani’s three writ petitions argued through advocates Ajay Bhise and Deepali Kedar, challenging the orders of trial courts that refused her relief. Tejwani was arrested in the Khadak police case on December 3, 2025. The next day the investigators sought her custody in the Bavdhan police FIR related to a similar Mundhwa land deal. She was formally arrested on December 16 last year after obtaining her custody from prison. Next month, on January 3 this year, she was arrested in the Seva Vikas bank case registered by Pimpri police station. “In the case at hand, it is imperative to note that the failure to furnish the grounds of arrest to the nominated person deserves consideration through the prism of obtaining custody of the petitioner on the strength of a production warrant. It was essentially a case of transfer of custody,” Justice Jamadar observed while declaring Tejwani’s arrest in the Bavdhan Police FIR as illegal. The HC added, “In a situation of the present nature, where the petitioner’s custody was transferred from one crime to another while the petitioner continued to be detained, the mere intimation of arrest would not be an effective compliance with the mandate under Article 22(1) of the Constitution.” The judge also declared subsequent remand orders and detention in the case as illegal. Moreover, Pimpri police station had claimed that Tejwani allegedly defaulted on Seva Vikas Co-operative Bank Limited loans of about Rs 20.49 crore by not utilising the loans or financial facilities she availed under six distinct accounts for the purposes for which they were sanctioned. In the Seva Vikas Bank case, the HC observed “clear non-compliance” by the authorities, as the grounds of arrest were not served on the petitioner at least two hours before her production before the jurisdictional court. The HC also said the trial court was “not justified in downplaying the failure” of the investigators. Dismissing Tejwani’s third plea related to the Khadak police station FIR, the HC prima facie observed that she “understands the Marathi language” as per numerous documents executed by and in favour of her. The HC observed that until she was produced before the magistrate, she had not made any grievance of not being able to defend herself due to lack of understanding of Marathi. “Thus, the claim of the petitioner that the constitutional mandate was not strictly complied with, as the grounds of arrest were not furnished to the petitioner in the language she understood, cannot be acceded to,” the HC held and rejected her plea alleging illegal arrest in the Khadak FIR. Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions. Expertise & Authority Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage. Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in: Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include: Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes). Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty). Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict. Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability. Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges. Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More