The Mumbai zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached immovable properties valued at ₹17.74 crore in Navi Mumbai in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to the illegal transfer of forest land and wrongful receipt of compensation from a national highway project.
The provisional attachment order was issued on February 4 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attachment covers three land parcels located in Uran and Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, which are registered in the names of J M Mhatre and his wife. The agency has alleged that these properties were acquired using proceeds of crime generated through fraudulent land transactions.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, the case pertains to large tracts of land situated at Mauje Vahal in Panvel taluka of Raigad district, bearing Survey Nos. 427/1 and 436/1, with a combined area exceeding 152 hectares. The land was originally classified as private forest and was acquired by the Government of Maharashtra in 1975 under the Maharashtra Private Forests (Acquisition) Act. Following the acquisition, ownership of the land was duly recorded in favour of the Forest Department in the official 7/12 revenue extracts.
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The investigation has revealed that at a later stage, mutation entries in the land records were allegedly tampered with. The name of the Forest Department was unlawfully removed and replaced with that of the accused, enabling him to project himself as the rightful owner of the land. Officials said this manipulation of government records formed the foundation for subsequent illegal transactions.
Using the altered records, portions of the land were allegedly transferred to the National Highways Authority of India for a highway project. The ED has alleged that compensation amounting to ₹42.4 crore was released to the accused on the basis of these falsified ownership documents, even though the land legally belonged to the state government.
The agency has stated that the compensation received was laundered through multiple channels. The funds were allegedly used to purchase additional immovable properties, repay outstanding loans, meet business-related expenses, and provide financial benefits to family members. The investigation has also traced the utilisation of funds in business entities linked to the accused, including JMMIPL and JMM Homes.
As part of the probe, the ED had earlier conducted search operations on June 17, 2025, at several locations across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. These searches resulted in the seizure of unaccounted cash amounting to ₹16.5 lakh. In addition, eight freezing orders were issued in respect of bank accounts and fixed deposit receipts, covering balances totalling ₹43.78 crore.
The latest attachment follows an earlier provisional attachment order issued on January 12, 2026, in which five immovable properties valued at ₹7.10 crore were attached in the same case. Those properties were also alleged to have been acquired using proceeds generated from the illegal land compensation.
With the current action, the Enforcement Directorate has identified and attached, seized or frozen assets worth ₹69.47 crore in connection with the case so far. Officials said the attachment has been carried out to prevent further dissipation of the alleged proceeds of crime and to secure the assets pending adjudication under the PMLA.
The agency has maintained that the investigation is ongoing and further tracing of funds is underway to identify additional assets and beneficiaries connected to the alleged manipulation of forest land records and diversion of public funds.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
