The Khandeshwar police have booked a builder and a landowner under the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act (MOFA) and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly cheating over 15 homebuyers of Rs 82.31 lakh by luring them with promises of affordable housing in Panvel’s Harigram area. Further investigation is underway.
Accused Identified as Builder and Landowner
The accused have been identified as builder Vijay Kishorilal Gupta (alias Chunnilal) and landowner Vasant Shiva Waghe (alias Waghmare). According to police, in 2021 the duo launched a residential chawl project under the name Hindustan Homes Pvt. Ltd. at Survey No. 22/1, Vijay Nagar, Harigram, and projected it as a legal housing scheme.
To gain buyers’ confidence, the accused allegedly provided 7/12 land extracts and executed notarised agreements. Believing the documents to be genuine, several investors — including social activist Deepak Shinde — paid between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh each towards the purchase of houses, collectively amounting to Rs 82.31 lakh.
Landowner Filed Complaint, Got Construction Demolished
Police said that after collecting full payments and handing over possession, landowner Waghe himself filed a complaint with the NAINA (Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area) authority in February 2023, claiming that the construction was unauthorised. Acting on the complaint, NAINA authorities demolished the entire structure, leaving the homebuyers devastated.
During inquiry, it emerged that the land belonged to a tribal owner and could not be sold or transferred without prior permission of the District Collector. Despite allegedly being aware of this legal restriction, the accused proceeded with the project and entered into transactions with buyers.
FIR Registered for Cheating and MOFA Violations
“An offence has been registered against both the accused for cheating, criminal breach of trust and conspiracy, along with violations under the MOFA Act. We are verifying documents and recording statements of the affected buyers,” a police officer from Khandeshwar Police Station said.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 318(4), 316(5) and 3(5) of the BNS, 2023, along with Sections 13 and 14 of the MOFA Act, 1963, and further probe is in progress.
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