Mumbai, Jan 10: The Dadar police have registered a case against Janardan Shivdikar and Vishwanath Kene for allegedly cheating a Worli resident of Rs 27.07 lakh by luring him with a false promise of purchasing land and constructing a house at Titwala.
Complainant known to accused since childhood
According to the FIR, the complainant, Dnyaneshwar Dattaram Kalikhan, 56, a resident of Worli Koliwada, works as a head security guard at a BRC facility and lives with his family in Worli. Kalikhan has known accused Janardan Shivdikar since childhood, as both hail from the same locality.
Land deal proposed in Titwala
In 2017, Kalikhan was looking to buy land near Mumbai to build a house for his family. Shivdikar allegedly informed him that land was available at Titwala and, on July 1, 2017, took him to Titwala East in the Sangola Kondheri Gram Panchayat area, where he introduced him to Yashwant Kene. The accused allegedly showed Kalikhan a plot of land and provided details, assuring him that the transaction would be completed smoothly.
Payments made in stages
After considering the proposal, Kalikhan agreed to purchase 14 gunthas of land at a rate of Rs 2 lakh per guntha. On July 12, 2017, Shivdikar, along with Dinesh Kene, Eknath Kene and Michael Bandu Gaykar, visited Kalikhan’s residence in Worli.
They claimed that the land belonged to Eknath Kene and his family. Kalikhan issued a cheque of Rs 1 lakh in the name of Eknath Kene as earnest money, while the remaining amount was to be paid to Shivdikar in stages.
Alleged forged documents produced
The accused later allegedly produced notarised documents of an agreement for sale dated June 30, 2017, purportedly executed between the original landholder Bhaskar Ramu Kene and Kalikhan’s wife.
However, Bhaskar Kene had already passed away, and Eknath Kene allegedly signed in his place. The document bore the signatures of witnesses including Shivdikar, Gaykar and another individual.
More money taken on false assurances
As per the FIR, Kalikhan paid Rs 25 lakh to Shivdikar through 10 cheques by January 25, 2018. Shivdikar further allegedly assured him that house construction had begun and provided copies and photographs of Gram Panchayat documents, including Form No. 8, property tax assessment receipts and tax payment receipts in the name of Kalikhan’s wife, to gain his trust.
On this pretext, the accused allegedly took an additional Rs 23.07 lakh, of which Rs 16.25 lakh was paid by cheque and Rs 6.82 lakh in cash.
Site visit raises suspicion
In mid-2018, when Kalikhan visited the site, he found only a compound wall and a water tank constructed. On questioning, the accused allegedly gave evasive answers. Later, members of the Kene family allegedly told Kalikhan that the land was still in their family’s name, could not be transferred at that time, and that construction should not have been carried out.
RTI reply exposes fraud
Kalikhan further stated that while he had paid about Rs 24 lakh through Shivdikar, the accused claimed to have received only Rs 20 lakh. They allegedly agreed to return the money if Kalikhan did not want the land and refunded Rs 10 lakh, while seeking time to repay the remaining amount.
On October 13, 2025, Kalikhan sought information under the Right to Information Act from the Sangola Kondheri Gram Panchayat regarding the house receipt bearing number 167 that had been shown to him. The Gram Panchayat allegedly informed him that no such record existed.
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Police register cheating case
Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act for cheating and forgery and have begun further investigation.
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