Mumbai Crime News: Bhandup Police Arrests Two For Cheating 16 Of ₹1.57 Crore By False MMRDA Home Scheme

Mumbai: The Bhandup police arrested two women, Lakshmi Kisan Bande, 55, and Nita Ankush Saraikar, 40, for reportedly cheating 16 people of more than Rs 1.57 crore by pretending to be agents for a government housing redevelopment scheme.

They enticed victims with offers of budget-friendly MMRDA apartments for approximately Rs 8 lakh per unit, displaying "available" flats in Kurla and Kanjurmarg while guaranteeing swift ownership.

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To build credibility, they had the victims sign stamped documents and collected their photographs. Numerous victims, mainly domestic workers and daily wage earners, sold assets, pledged jewelry, and secured personal loans to invest, with one victim, Meera Sudanna Kamble, losing Rs 39.5 lakh while trying to purchase four apartments for her sons.

From January to November 2023, the two women gathered an overall amount of Rs 1,57,75,500 from the investors. The defendant offered misleading guarantees about the prompt readiness of the apartments and issued post-dated checks while directing victims not to cash them according to report by Mid Day.

In certain cases, victims claimed they were coerced into misrepresenting the situation to law enforcement. Officials highlighted that there are no valid programs permitting private individuals to gather funds for redevelopment, advising people to check housing initiatives via official sources.

The case is under investigation for cheating, breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy, with both women having previous cases filed against them in different police jurisdictions.

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A businessman from Navi Mumbai was allegedly defrauded of Rs 1.25 crore by four individuals who promised to secure loans for him, according to police reports. Following a complaint from a 78-year-old Airoli resident, a case was filed under sections 316(5) and 318(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused contacted the victim, owner of a machine tools company, between December 2023 and March 2025, claiming they could arrange business loans of Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore. They allegedly produced fake demand drafts and cheques with forged signatures and counterfeit seals to gain the victim's trust and extract fees. Despite the substantial payments, no loans were provided, and no arrests have been made yet.