Nearly ten days after a Pune magistrate court directed the registration of an FIR in a high-profile land dispute involving senior executives linked to the Runwal Group, Pune Police are yet to comply with the judicial order, raising serious questions over the delay in initiating criminal proceedings.

On May 16, 2026, Judicial Magistrate First Class Dr. D.R. Dornalpalle directed the Vimantal Police Station to immediately register an FIR against Runwal Group Managing Director Subodh Subhash Runwal, Ashutosh Navare, Lucy Roy Choudhary, M.B. Agarwal & Co., and other unidentified persons in connection with allegations of cheating, forgery, criminal trespass, criminal conspiracy and organised crime.

The order was passed in Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 3237/2026 under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The court observed that a clear prima facie case of cognisable offences had been disclosed and directed police to carry out a full-fledged investigation.

Despite the court’s explicit directions, no FIR has been registered so far, according to the complainant and sources familiar with the matter.

In its detailed order, the magistrate court noted that police had failed to act despite receiving complaints, recording statements and conducting a site panchnama. Referring to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Lalita Kumari vs Government of Uttar Pradesh, the court reiterated that registration of an FIR is mandatory when information disclosing cognisable offences is received.

Complainant Ranjeet Ashok Darak, Designated Partner of Bridge Water Realty LLP, questioned the continued inaction by the police.

“I fail to understand the reason for police not following the court order and filing an FIR. Attempts by powerful builders to illegally grab our lawfully acquired rights through forgery and trespass have been exposed. The standard operating procedure after such court directions is to immediately register an FIR and commence investigation,” Darak said.

According to sources, no inquiry or investigative steps have yet been initiated against the accused persons despite the court’s directive.

The dispute concerns a prime 3.93-hectare land parcel located at Survey No. 214/2 in Lohegaon-Viman Nagar near Pune International Airport. As per the complaint, late businessman Satish Satyanarayan Mittal, through Wonder Properties, had acquired ownership and development rights over the land during 2005-06.

In 2007, Wonder Properties entered into a registered joint venture agreement with Runwal Developers Pvt. Ltd. to form an Association of Persons (AOP) named Runwal Wonder Ventures. Under the agreement, Wonder Properties was entitled to 52 per cent of the gross revenue while Runwal Developers held 48 per cent rights. The agreement allegedly prohibited any transfer or assignment of rights without the written consent of Satish Mittal or his legal heirs.

Following Mittal’s death in January 2016, the complainants alleged that the AOP was never legally reconstituted with the legal heirs and that forged and back-dated documents were subsequently created to illegally transfer rights to related entities.

The complaint further stated that Bridge Water Realty LLP had acquired 80 per cent rights in the property from Mittal’s legal heirs through a registered deed executed in February 2021 and was in lawful possession of the land when attempts were allegedly made to interfere with its rights and possession.

The complainants also alleged that the LLP’s signboard was removed from the property in violation of existing court directions.

After police allegedly failed to act on complaints submitted in January and March 2026, the complainants approached the magistrate court seeking directions for FIR registration.

The magistrate court also pulled up Pune Police for not registering an FIR despite the complaint remaining pending for over five months. The complainant has additionally raised concerns regarding the conduct and handling of the matter by the police authorities.

Earlier this year, the Pune District Court, while hearing proceedings under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, had observed that the rights in the AOP devolved upon Mittal’s legal heirs after his death. The court had also prima facie recognised Bridge Water Realty LLP’s lawful possession based on revenue records and utility bills.

Subsequently, in March 2026, the Bombay High Court directed all parties to maintain status quo over the disputed property pending final adjudication, while keeping all rival contentions open.

The criminal investigation ordered by the magistrate court is expected to proceed alongside the ongoing civil and arbitration proceedings concerning the disputed land parcel.