Ahilyanagar doctor cheated of Rs 14 crore in land deals, MCOCA slapped on four

Police have taken major action against a gang that cheated a well-known doctor in the Savedi area of Ahilyanagar of Rs 14 crore 66 lakh 51 thousand in separate land purchase and sale deals. The main mastermind of the scam, a former BJP corporator, along with three others, has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The Inspector General of Police, Nashik range, recently approved the proposal, causing panic among land mafias in the area. Those booked under MCOCA are former corporator Swapnil Rohidas Shinde (resident of Savedi, Ahilyanagar), Amol Baban Jadhav (resident of Morgavhan, Newasa taluka), Mahesh Narayan Kuhe and Bharat Phulmali (resident of Ghodegaon, Newasa taluka). The case was registered at MIDC police station on 8 November 2025 on a complaint by Dr Anil Suryabhan Athare, a resident of the Jhopdi Canteen area.

According to police, the accused first won the doctor's trust, then lured him with land deals by showing him plots. At the time of the actual transaction, fake landowners were produced and forged signatures and bogus documents were prepared. Using these documents, the accused repeatedly extorted crores of rupees from the doctor.

Given the seriousness of the case, the investigation was handed to the Economic Offences Wing. Police Inspector Dr Sharad Gorde of the Economic Offences Wing carried out a swift investigation and arrested the main suspect, Amol Jadhav. Former corporator Swapnil Shinde and Mahesh Kuhe were then transferred from Nashik jail and arrested in this case.

After it became clear that the accused had committed the economic offence in a planned and organised manner, police prepared the MCOCA proposal. The proposal, sent through Superintendent of Police Mummaka Sudarshan, was examined and approved by the Inspector General of Police, Nashik range. City Deputy Superintendent Dr Dilip Tiparse is currently carrying out the further investigation in the case.

Shinde's gang had earlier faced MCOCA action in a murder case as well. With MCOCA now invoked again in this crores-worth land fraud case, his troubles have increased considerably. This is perhaps the first instance in Ahilyanagar of a gang being booked under MCOCA twice, which has caused a stir among criminals in the district.

Swapnil Shinde and his associates have several earlier serious cases registered against them at Tofkhana and other police stations, including assault, spreading terror and unlawful assembly.

In July 2023, Nationalist Congress Party worker Ankush Dattatray Chattar was fatally attacked with iron rods and weapons in Savedi. Swapnil Shinde was arrested as the main accused in the murder case. Following this murder, the Local Crime Branch and police had booked Swapnil Shinde and his gang under MCOCA.