An offence has been registered against 18 persons, including office-bearers of two construction companies, for allegedly cheating people, who had invested in their housing project in Karjat tehsil of Maharashtra's Raigad district, police said on Thursday.

The offence was registered at Karjat police station on Wednesday against the companies - Gopi Resort Pvt Ltd and Tanaji Malusare City Sheltrex Karjat Pvt Ltd - Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashok Dudhe said in a statement.

In 2008, Gopi Resort had purchased 104 acres of land at Shire Akurte village in Karjat. The company announced that it would develop a housing project called 'Tanaji Malusare City' for the economically weaker sections of the society.

A total of 4,157 people invested Rs 191 crore into the project between 2008 and 2019. Of the total amount, 1,086 investors had taken Rs 56 crore loans from different banks, police said. The company had promised to give possession of the flats in the project by 2013. However, 3,340 people complained that they are yet to get the flats, they said.

Between 2008 and 2013, some buildings in the project were built, but due to the inferior quality, they had to be demolished. At present, 22 buildings with 839 flats and shops are ready, police said. Based on the complaint by several investors, who said that they were yet to get their assured properties in the project, Raigad police registered the case under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 406 and 409 (both related to criminal breach of trust), 467 and 468 (both related to forgery) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), the statement said.

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