In Thane, the Daighar police have filed charges against two partner-developers of a local construction firm. They are accused of defrauding a scrap businessman out of Rs 43 lakh by selling him an apartment based on forged architectural plans. The incident took place in Shilphata, Thane, raising concerns about fraudulent practices in the real estate sector.
The complainant was searching for a residential property in 2018 and approached the sales office of an under-construction housing project located at Shilgaon, according to police officials. The developers claimed the project held valid MahaRERA registration and promised full handover and possession by Dec 30, 2022. Impressed by the proposal, the buyer booked flat number 801 in the B-wing, originally planned as a 644 sq ft 2-BHK apartment, paying an initial booking token via cheque.
Following the victim’s complaint, an FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal breach of trust, cheating and forgery. Further police investigation remains underway.
Dispute Halts Construction Amid Fraudulent Approvals
Construction on the project has come to a standstill due to a land ownership dispute between the builders and the plot owner. The buyer, growing suspicious of the situation, reviewed the project’s official filings on the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) portal. His investigation revealed that the municipal corporation had only approved a 514.67 sq ft 2-bedroom, hall, and kitchen (2-BHK) layout. In a shocking discovery, he found that the purported 3-bedroom, hall, and kitchen (3-BHK) layout and its associated approval documents were entirely fabricated.