The Malad police have cracked a housing scam where fraudsters posted fake property listings on online real estate platforms, duping multiple buyers of lakhs of rupees. Six accused have been arrested, while one remains at large.
Police revealed that all the arrested individuals have prior involvement in similar cheating cases, with FIRs already registered at Dahisar and Kashigaon police stations. The suspects were apprehended last week and are currently in judicial custody.
Victim Duped of Rs30 Lakh
The case came to light following a complaint by Naval Rajput, 31, a land surveyor from Malad East. For six months in 2025, Rajput had been browsing a popular property buy-and-sell website in search of a home.
Accused Amit Thakur, 30, contacted him claiming to have a flat for sale and directed associates Roshan Yadav and Deepak Shah to show Rajput Flat No. 1301 at Shubharshree Arcade on Jakeria Road in Malad West.
Impostor Posed as Flat Owner
Impressed after viewing the flat, Rajput agreed to buy the property. Deepak Shah later arranged a meeting with the supposed owner, Popatlal Sandesha. Documents were shown and the deal was finalised at Rs1.10 crore.
Rajput paid Rs26 lakh by cheque and Rs4 lakh in cash to Sandesha, recording the transaction on video, which captured Deepak Shah and the impostor posing as Sandesha.
Fraud Uncovered at Society Office
When Rajput followed up with Thakur for registration formalities, the latter repeatedly dodged him. Growing suspicious, Rajput visited the housing society office to verify ownership.
Society members, after viewing the video, confirmed that while the flat did belong to Popatlal Sandesha, the man in the recording was a complete stranger. Realising he had been cheated, Rajput approached the Malad police and lodged a complaint.
Money Trail Leads to Arrests
An FIR was registered, triggering a detailed investigation. Assistant Police Inspector Deepak Raywade of the Malad detection team traced the money trail through bank records and identified withdrawal dates.
CCTV footage from the bank showed two men collecting the money. Police set a trap at the bank and detained Hitesh Kedar on January 6. The next day, Rajesh Prasad was arrested from Dahisar West.
Gang Network Exposed
During interrogation, Prasad revealed that Rajan Kakkad, Mohammad Raffiq Rashid Khan alias Ravi, and Amit Thakur alias Kasim Khan had asked him to lend his bank account to receive the cheated amount.
Prasad withdrew Rs26 lakh and handed over the cash to Ravi and Amit through Rajan. Police later arrested Nimesh Mawani from Thane, who had impersonated Popatlal Sandesha.
Accused Identified, One Still Absconding
The arrested accused have been identified as Hitesh Kedar (30), delivery boy from Dahisar East; Rajesh Prasad (37), delivery boy from Kandivali West; Nimesh Mawani (49), Thane West; Mohammad Raffiq Rashid Khan (38), Andheri West; Deepak Shah (37), real estate agent from Nalasopara West; and Rajan Kakkad (45), Borivali West.
Amit Thakur remains absconding, and police said efforts are on to trace and arrest him.
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