Rs 2,000 Crore Poddar Housing Trust Land Scam: Charity Commissioner Under Scanner in Mumbai
A massive ₹2,000 crore trust land scam allegedly involving Poddar Housing has triggered serious concerns over regulatory failure in Mumbai. Investigations reveal that land belonging to a religious charitable trust was allegedly diverted for a luxury residential project without mandatory Charity Commissioner approval. The case has drawn comparisons with earlier trust land scandals and raised troubling questions about institutional accountability, public interest protection, and oversight of charitable assets in Maharashtra.
Sprouts News Editor-in-Chief Unmesh Gujarathi and his investigative team exposed a multi-crore trust land scam involving regulatory lapses, alleged collusion and misuse of charitable property, raising serious questions over accountability, public interest protection, and institutional credibility in Maharashtra.
At the beginning of the Poddar Housing trust land scam, serious questions arise over regulatory failure after religious charitable trust land in Mumbai was allegedly used for a ₹2,000 crore real estate project.
This alleged trust land encroachment involving Poddar Housing and Development has drawn comparisons with the recent Pune Jain Trust land scam of ₹230 crores, which now appears minor in scale.
The Mumbai case concerns land in the name of a religious charitable trust founded by a lifelong pracharak of Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, RSS founder, dedicated to promoting Sanatan Dharma through public service.
According to trust records, the founder envisioned constructing a grand temple and cultural centre, but the project reportedly stalled after the land was diverted by the builder for high-end residential development.
Sources allege Poddar Housing has almost constructed nearly 400 apartments under the Poddar Riviera Phase-III project on trust land, without mandatory permission from the Charity Commissioner Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, Section 36 and Regulatory Failure
Under Section 36 of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, no trust property can be sold, leased or transferred without explicit approval from the Charity Commissioner.
Legal experts confirm the Charity Commissioner holds suo moto powers to prevent unauthorised alienation, cancel illegal transactions and protect trust assets from commercial exploitation.
Despite this statutory duty, construction allegedly continued uninterrupted, raising concerns about regulatory oversight and whether powerful interests influenced administrative inaction.
Multiple rulings passed earlier by the Charity Commissioner had rejected Poddar Housing’s claims over the disputed land, strengthening questions over how development permissions proceeded.
Banks, financial institutions and housing regulators allegedly sanctioned loans and registrations without verifying the trust ownership dispute, amplifying risk for flat purchasers.
Industry analysts point out that RERA registration and financial clearances should have flagged unresolved ownership issues before marketing residential units to unsuspecting buyers.
Flat Buyers at Risk, Credibility of Institutions Questioned
Approximately 400 families who invested life savings in Poddar Riviera Phase-III now face uncertainty over legal ownership, approvals and potential future litigation.
Real estate lawyers warn that buyers could be drawn into prolonged legal battles if courts later rule the land transaction illegal or void under trust protection laws.
The silence of enforcement agencies has triggered allegations of collusion, complicity and possible criminal conspiracy among regulators tasked with safeguarding public and charitable assets.
Senior bureaucrats privately admit that failure to act in high-value trust land disputes erodes confidence in governance and weakens deterrence against large-scale real estate violations.
The Charity Commissioner’s continued inaction, despite documented knowledge and statutory authority, has become the central concern in this unfolding controversy.
Observers stress that the credibility of the Charity Commissioner’s office is at stake, particularly when trust land dedicated to religious and social purposes is commercially exploited.
Also Read: Karad College Scam: Probe Announced, Action Still Missing.
Related Article: STCI Finance Retreats—Is Poddar Housing Really Safe Now?
Political Pressure, Public Interest and Investigative Journalism
Civil society groups question whether political or non-political pressure influenced regulatory silence in a case involving real estate project worth approximately ₹2,000 crores.
The issue resonates deeply among pracharaks and followers who view the alleged land diversion as betrayal of dharmic intent and public service values.
Sprouts News Special Investigation Team reviewed documents, rulings, and regulatory records, concluding that prolonged administrative silence cannot be dismissed as procedural delay.
Investigative journalists associated with Sprouts News state they received informal requests urging suppression of details related to regulatory lapses and institutional responsibility.
Such pressures, journalists argue, underline the importance of independent media scrutiny when powerful interests intersect with religious trusts and urban real estate development.
Experts insist immediate intervention is necessary to protect trust land, safeguard flat buyers, and restore faith in statutory authorities meant to uphold public interest.
Failure to act now, they warn, would not merely signal negligence but permanently damage institutional credibility and public confidence in Maharashtra’s trust governance framework.
