Builder booked for cheating buyers

Mumbai: The Vartak Nagar police at Thane has booked a prominent builder, Vyomesh Shah of Hubtown Limited and his associates, for allegedly cheating home buyers by failing to give them possession on time.

The police filed a first information report (FIR) under section 13 of the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA), 1963 and sections 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) a week ago.

Around 900 buyers had booked their apartments in a project named Hubtown Greenwoods at Thane in 2009 and were promised possession between 2011-2014.

However, the buyers have alleged that the builder has not completed the project till date and contended they are yet to be given possession.

K.G. Gavit, senior police inspector, the Vartak Nagar police station, said, “We have booked the developer under the MOFA Act and other relevant sections. Currently, we are recording statements of all the buyers to make the case strong and admissible. Further, after the statements are recorded an appropriate decision would be taken on whether any arrest would be made in the case.”

Rohan Ranadive, an IT professional, said, “I had brought a 2 BHK in the project by making the payment in 2009 itself. I was promised that the possession would be given in December 2011. However, the possession is awaited yet and there is no proper reason given by Hubtown as to when will be get our possession.”

Mr Ranadive added, “There are total six wings in the whole project where around 900 buyers were promised possession in phases between 2011 and 2014 but none have got possession till date. We’re fed up of this and have finally complained now.”

Another buyer, who did not wish to be named, said, “I was promised a home in November 2011 and on that basis I’d made almost 90 per cent of the total payment for my house but I am yet to get possession. The builder has said that there were issues related to permissions.”  Meanwhile, repeated attempts to get comment from Vyomesh Shah and Keval Valambhia of Hubtown Limited for their comment on the complaint did not yield any reply. A text message sent to both was unanswered at the time of going to press.