The Kandivali police have booked a family of developers who own Vidhi Realtors for allegedly duping a buyer of Rs32.46 lakh and not giving the flat possession in 2018 as promised. The accused were identified as Ketan Shah, his son Gaurav and his brother's wife Sonal. Apart from the amount spent on buying the house, the buyer has paid Rs25,68,640 in interest to the bank, so far.
Details of the fraud
According to the police, complainant Santosh Churmure, 44, came to know about a project by Vidhi Realtors after seeing a newspaper advertisement in 2011. The Wadala resident then visited the Kandivali-based office of the accused and Gaurav informed him about an upcoming project in Malvani, Malad West. He assured Churmure that if he made a booking then the possession would be granted in 2018. In October 2011, the complainant booked a flat and Gaurav provided him with an allotment letter.
Six months later, he called Churmure to his office, asking him to purchase a different flat. The latter agreed and was given another allotment letter in May 2012. The aggrieved then took a bank loan of Rs28.13 lakh and paid a total of Rs32,46,399 to the Shahs. In July 2015, Sonal, who serves as the firm's director, made an agreement, fixing possession in December 2018.
Complaint filed at MahaRERA in 2019
Shah, one of the Directors members of Vidhi Realtors made an agreement on behalf of Vidhi Realtors. As per the agreement, possession was fixed in December 2018. When Churmure didn't get the flat, he filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority in 2019. It ordered Vidhi Realtors to refund his money with 10.2% interest, however, the Shahs didn't comply.
In December 2022, Churmure received an email from Ajmera Builders, revealing that Vidhi Realtors had sold the flat to them in April 2015, even before Churmure's agreement was made. “Now, 11 years have passed, but I have neither received the flat nor the amount. I have been fighting for many years,” said Churmure who filed a case on November 18.
An offence has been registered under sections 34 (common intention), 406 (breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty) of the Indian Penal Code.
