Mumbai, Oct 15 Seven persons have been booked for alleged involvement in a Rs 3.63 crore cheating case involving MHADA flats for mill workers in Mumbai’s Dadar area, a police official said on Thursday.
Those booked had cheated 16 persons by taking money after promising to get them at discounted rates MHADA flats originally meant for mill workers, he added.
He identified the seven accused as Anil Arun Mane, Santosh Takle, Sudhir Wayangankar, Shila Dhuri, Vilas Bhalerao, Siddhesh Jadhav and Nilesh Khade.
“As per complainant Suresh Vasant Shinde, a resident of Mazgaon, estate agent Anil Mane and his associates assured him possession of such flats in Bombay Dyeing Mill MHADA Colony in Naigaon in Dadar and collected Rs 20 lakh after executing a notarised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” the official said.
After failing to deliver possession to Shinde in two months, the accused executed separate MoUs for two other flats in March 2025, but failed to deliver those as well, the official said.
Subsequently, a cheque issued by Mane to refund Shinde’s money was dishonoured by the bank, prompting the complainant to make independent inquiries, the official said.
“Shinde discovered that the gang had duped multiple other investors using the same modus operandi. A total of 16 complainants have come forward so far, revealing that the accused collected Rs 3,63,75,000 from them with promises of cheap MHADA mill workers’ flats,” he said.
A case for cheating and criminal breach of trust has been registered at Bhoiwada police station, the official said, adding more victims are expected to come forward.
(PTI News)
