Doctor lodges complaint against seven developers

Mumbai: A Malad-based doctor has lodged a complaint against seven real estate developers for allegedly cheating him and six other people of Rs 7.35 crore under the pretext of a new scheme to get a flat in their new project since 2012, possession of which was due in the second half of 2016. The complainant approached Kandivali police station as the accused persons did not deliver on their promise of possession of the flat and refused to return the booking amount. The accused have been absconding since early March, and the case has now been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai police.

According to Kandivali police officers, the seven accused sold flats in a Kandivali high-rise to six customers residing in suburban Mumbai and took Rs 7.35 crore from them as token amount. The complainant, Dr Alben Pais, along with other customers, was to seek possession from the accused developers last year but the latter kept postponing the date of possession till March when they altogether stopped taking calls and reverting to messages. The office of the accused developers was also shut, making them untraceable. Dr Pais then decided to lodge a police complaint against the accused for cheating him and six others.

An investigating officer working on the case said on condition of anonymity that the case involved money exceeding Rs 1 crore and hence, it was transferred to the Economic Offences Wing that would investigate the matter further. An EOW official said, “We have registered a case and are yet to nab the accused persons. It is too soon for us to draw any inferences but we are looking into the matter.”