Pune:The Maharashtra govt has directed police across the state to obtain prior approval from the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) and Controller of Stamps before filing an FIR against registration officers for actions taken in the line of duty.In a July 22 communication to the director general of police (DGP), the revenue department requested that all police commissioners, superintendents, and local police stations be instructed to implement this new protocol.The decision stems from a meeting chaired by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Dec 23, 2025, aimed at addressing the legal vulnerabilities of officers within the Registration and Stamps Department.The policy shift follows a recent incident in Pune, where an officiating sub-registrar was allegedly assaulted after refusing to register a property document. The incident sparked outrage within the department, with employee unions threatening a statewide strike unless the govt provided greater legal safeguards.“This order was necessary. In the recent Pune incident, a sub-registrar was assaulted and then forced to spend several hours at a police station despite simply doing his job,” joint inspector general of registration and stamps Rajendra Muthe told TOI. “Govt officials should not face unnecessary harassment for performing their official responsibilities. This approval mechanism ensures that protection.”The state govt emphasised that registration officers perform statutory and quasi-judicial functions under the Registration Act (1908) and the Maharashtra Stamp Act. It noted that complaints against these officials should first be vetted on their merits, as the immediate registration of criminal cases based solely on allegations can paralyse govt operations.Under the new directive, no criminal case related to official duties can be registered against a registration officer without the mandatory “green light” from the IGR and Controller of Stamps in Pune.
