Power Lake Grab Scandal Rocks Nagpur
• Top Leaders Named in Land Seizure Probe
• SIT Exposes Illegal Thermal Power Land Deal
• Legal Whistleblower Jailed for Speaking Out
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Former Governor Banwarilal Purohit, CM Devendra Fadnavis, and ex-Energy Minister Bawankule are accused of illegally acquiring the Koradi Thermal Power Station lake land in Nagpur. Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) reveals political misuse of power, legal suppression, and vendetta against whistleblower Advocate Satish Uke, raising serious questions on infrastructure governance.
Contents
Power Lake Grab Scandal Rocks Nagpur• Top Leaders Named in Land Seizure Probe• SIT Exposes Illegal Thermal Power Land Deal• Legal Whistleblower Jailed for Speaking OutIllegal Construction and Political Pressure in Nagpur: A Deepening Urban Governance CrisisAdvocate Jailed for Speaking Out: Shocking Abuse of Legal FrameworkSprouts SIT Uncovers Pattern of Land Misuse in Energy InfrastructureAlso Read: Court Orders GoDaddy to Suspend Scam Sites in Haldiram Case.Policy Failure or Political Collusion? Experts Call for High-Level Probe
In a sensational revelation by the Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT), former Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and ex-Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule have been accused of unlawfully seizing the lake associated with the Koradi Supercritical Thermal Power Station near Nagpur. The Sprouts SIT’s investigation points to gross misuse of power and large-scale illegal land appropriation, executed by allegedly bypassing legal norms to acquire valuable government land at throwaway prices.
According to the SIT probe, these high-profile leaders orchestrated a land deal that not only undermines public interest but also violates the very tenets of land and environmental regulations. The accusations center around converting state-owned industrial land linked to energy infrastructure into private assets. Legal experts and whistleblowers assert that this is a textbook example of administrative overreach coupled with political collusion.
Illegal Construction and Political Pressure in Nagpur: A Deepening Urban Governance Crisis
Legal activist and senior advocate Satish Uke, along with his family, made multiple attempts to halt these illegal activities in Koradi. Their efforts included formally submitting an application at the Koradi Police Station, urging authorities to file criminal charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. However, due to the high stature of the accused, law enforcement reportedly redirected the complaint to senior officials, including the Director General of Police and the Principal Secretary of the Energy Department.
The evasive response from the police, citing jurisdictional constraints and advising follow-up at the higher administrative level, has raised concerns over how deeply political influence may be compromising law enforcement. The pressure exerted on local authorities appears to have stymied the due process of law, revealing the systemic hurdles faced by whistleblowers in Maharashtra’s urban and infrastructure sectors.
This incident highlights a broader issue in urban land governance—wherein public assets associated with critical infrastructure like power generation are vulnerable to exploitation through political patronage networks.
Advocate Jailed for Speaking Out: Shocking Abuse of Legal Framework
In a disturbing turn, Advocate Satish Uke was arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) allegedly as retaliation for raising concerns against unauthorized construction and political corruption in Nagpur. This was reportedly instigated by individuals linked to Fadnavis and Bawankule. Though the Nagpur Bench later ordered his release, fresh inquiries by the Enforcement Directorate were allegedly launched soon after, once again leading to his imprisonment.
According to former MLA Anil Gote, this sequence of events signals not just political vendetta, but also a calculated misuse of central investigative agencies to silence dissenters. Gote alleged that legal machinery was deployed selectively to suppress opposition and sanitize questionable land transactions.
Sprouts SIT Uncovers Pattern of Land Misuse in Energy Infrastructure
The findings by the Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) are part of a larger pattern where infrastructural assets, especially those in energy sectors, are being converted into real estate opportunities under the guise of development. The Koradi lake case adds to a growing list of controversial land deals under scrutiny in the state, many involving prominent names in politics and real estate.
The broader implications for urban planning and regulatory oversight are significant. If such transactions go unchallenged, it could pave the way for irreversible environmental degradation and marginalization of community interests in critical zones such as power plants, water bodies, and industrial corridors.
Also Read: Court Orders GoDaddy to Suspend Scam Sites in Haldiram Case.
Policy Failure or Political Collusion? Experts Call for High-Level Probe
Urban development experts and legal scholars have called for a high-level judicial inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of government land in Koradi. They stress the need for independent oversight mechanisms to prevent further erosion of public trust in infrastructure governance.
While the state government has yet to issue a formal statement, the allegations are expected to trigger a series of political and legal reverberations. The spotlight now turns to the Energy Department and state urban planning authorities to clarify their stance on the matter.
