Mumbai: The Economic Offence Wing of the Mumbai Police has closed one case against Nirmal Lifestyle directors Dharmesh Jain, 55, and Rajiv Jain who were booked along with a few others, including Videocon group founder Venugopal Dhoot, for allegedly cheating 28 home buyers of nearly Rs 12.7 crore in 2012. However, investigations continue in the other two cases.
The remaining cases concern the Zircon project worth nearly Rs43.80 crore and the Olympia, Omega, Panorama, and One Spirit projects worth Rs11 crore. In May, EOW's Housing Fraud Unit-2 arrested Dharmesh and his relative Rajiv. They were apprehended for allegedly defrauding flat buyers.
Petition filed in the High Court
The accused had accepted money from home buyers in 2011 for flats in the Olympia, Omega, Panorama, and One Spirit projects in Mulund, West. One case was registered regarding the Zircon project on December 7, 2021, and another on April 11, 2022, which was regarding the Olympia, Omega, Panorama, and One Spirit projects. Several statements have been recorded in these two cases so far.
Pankaj Thadani, who invested his money in the Zircon project, stated, “We are dissatisfied with the EOW investigation, which is why we, the investors, filed a petition in the High Court. The case was initially filed in 2021, but we did not receive the chargesheet. Then, in February this year, we filed a petition in the High Court. During the court proceedings, the builders assured us of a refund, but they have yet to return our money. Subsequently, the EOW arrested the builders, but they were released on bail after one month. Upon their release, the builders paid the first instalment of the BMC. However, we have not received our flats yet. For the past three years, the builders have been claiming they are ready to provide soft possession.”
In the Zircon Project, 54 investors have filed the case, and there are a total of 300 investors involved, with approximately 28 of them having recorded their statements with the EOW.
