Property deals are being registered at sub-registrar's office in Thane At least 10 flats in Garden Estate in Thane have changed hands, with official sanction in the form of registration of the sale, in gross violation of a Supreme Court order to maintain status quo on private forest land. All these property deals are getting registered at Thane sub-registrar's office. A forest department survey had found that buildings in Garden Estate (see picture) and a part of Hiranandani Estate were on private forest land, and the apex court's order is applicable to these buildings. According to the information DNA has, eight flats in Ruby Cooperative Housing Society and two in Crystal Cooperative Housing Society (both housing societies are in Garden Estate) have been sold. On May 5, the apex court had asked the state to maintain status quo on houses on private forest land and had referred the matter to the green bench, a special bench under the apex court to hear matters relating to environment. The Supreme Court had also ruled that no third-party rights should be created on the land. But authorities at the sub-registrar's office said they were not aware of such an order. Sub-registrar Sanjeev Prabhu admitted that deals on flats in buildings on private forest land were taking place. He said he did not have any knowledge about the Supreme Court order. "We have not received any order from the Supreme Court. If the registrations are against the court's order, we will immediately stop them,' Prabhu said. "We take indemnity bond from buyers saying that the housing society will not be responsible for consequences arising out of issue of private forest land,' said AD Pimple, honorary secretary of Crystal Cooperative Housing Society. "People who are buying such flats are taking a big risk,' Prakash Padikkal, president of Hillside Residents Welfare Association (Hirwa), said. "It is a serious violation of the Supreme Court order. No one should enter into such deals until the final order of the Supreme Court,' he said. The order was given by the Supreme Court on petitions challenging the Bombay High Court verdict, which had approved the BMC move to issue stop-work notices to builders who had projects on private forest land. The green bench will next hear the matter today. "It is common knowledge that flats in buildings on private forest land are getting registered,' a broker, who got around 100 flats in such buildings registered, said.