What happened
On 4 September 2026, Maharashtra ordered a nine-member SIT to probe the 1960s allotment of ~174 acres of grazing land in Kalyan to Premier Automobiles and its later sales to developers.
Maharashtra's Revenue Department on 4 September 2026 ordered a Special Investigation Team to probe the transfer of about 174 acres of government-owned cattle-grazing land in Kalyan taluka, Thane, to Premier Automobiles in the 1960s.
The nine-member SIT, headed by the Konkan Divisional Commissioner and including the Thane Collector and Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Commissioner, will verify original grazing-land records across six villages — Mangaon, Kole, Katai, Gharivali, Sandap and Usarghar.
The complaint is that land allotted for industrial use was later monetised through sales to developers including Lodha, Runwal, Anant Developers, Sundarniwas, Out N Out Infotech and Jupiter Life Line Hospital, with proceeds used to repay debt and fund the Pune plant.
The SIT must examine Class II to Class I tenure conversions, 7/12 extracts and mutation entries, and unearned-amount calculations, and submit its report by the first week of October 2026 — a finding that could shape how old industrial allotments are reviewed statewide.
Timeline: From grazing land to real estate
How a 1960s industrial allotment turned into a six-decade trail now under SIT scanner.
- 1960s — ~174 acres of cattle-grazing land in six Kalyan villages allotted to Premier Automobiles for industrial use
- 1994-95 — Premier transfers Kalyan undertaking to Kalyan Motors Co. Ltd (Peugeot JV) via slump sale
- 2000s-2010s — Parcels sold to Lodha, Runwal, Anant, Sundarniwas, Jupiter Hospital and others to repay debt
- 19 Aug 2026 — Revenue Minister Bawankule hears complaints; 4 Sep 2026 — SIT order issued; report due early Oct 2026
What the SIT will check
Five broad issues: original tenure and transfer mode, Class II to Class I conversion, 7/12 and mutation validity, subsequent sales, and action if misuse or encroachment is found including unearned-amount compliance.
Why this probe matters beyond Kalyan
Beyond Kalyan, the findings could become a template for reviewing other old industrial allotments that were later converted to commercial and residential use across Maharashtra.
Why it matters for me
The panel will verify tenure conversions and land records by early October, creating uncertainty for buyers and builders holding those parcels until clarity emerges.
Daily Life
General Public
Homebuyers in Kalyan-Dombivali projects built on this land may face title uncertainty until the SIT report clarifies tenure conversions.
Work
Developers Construction
Developers holding parcels from Premier's monetisation face fresh scrutiny of Class II to Class I conversions and unearned-amount compliance.
Money
Real Estate Investors
Investors in affected Thane-belt real estate may see delayed transactions and valuation impact while the 30-day probe is pending.
What to remember
A 60-year-old industrial land deal is now under scanner — title history matters.
Maharashtra orders 30-day SIT probe into 174-acre Kalyan grazing land given to Premier in the 1960s and later sold as premium real estate.
Verified sources (3)
Maharashtra govt. orders probe into land transfer to Premier Automobiles over six decades ago
↗60 years after 174-acre govt land transfer, Maharashtra forms SIT to probe deals
↗Premier Automobiles Ltd. vs Income Tax Officer And Anr. (Tribunal, 9 April 2003)
↗Claims and linked sources
7 claimsMaharashtra Revenue Department has formed a nine-member SIT headed by Konkan Divisional Commissioner to probe the 1960s transfer of ~174-175 acres of cattle-grazing land in Kalyan to Premier Automobiles.
Government order was issued on 4 September 2026 following directions at a meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on 19 August 2026 covering six villages.
The SIT must examine original grazing-land records, gram panchayat transfers, and tenure changes and submit a detailed report to government in first week of October 2026 within 30 days.
Probe covers five issues: original land status and transfer mode, Class II to Class I conversion, record-of-rights and mutation validity, subsequent sales, and recommended action if responsibility is fixed.
Parcels from Premier were sold to Lodha Developers, Anant Developers, Jupiter Life Line Hospital, Out N Out Infotech, Sundarniwas Properties, and per India Today also Runwal, Indian Railways and MSEDCL for debt repayment and Pune plant investment.
Premier Automobiles, a Walchand Group pioneer known for Fiat 1100 D, Padmini and 118NE, used the Kalyan unit for sheet-metal stamping as a feeder to its Kurla plant before shifting focus.
SIT will check whether government land was encroached, official powers misused, and whether unearned-amount calculations complied with applicable orders and rules.