Gurugram: Realtor, 3 others booked in ₹1 Cr EWS flat fraud

According to police, the key accused’s modus operandi involved initially helping people rent vacant apartments without taking any brokerage

Four suspects, including a property dealer, have been booked for allegedly duping more than 14 families of nearly ₹1 crore by promising them economically weaker section (EWS) apartments in two housing societies along the Dwarka Expressway, police said on Wednesday.

Investigators said the suspects are currently on the run. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The key accused, property dealer Saurabh Yadav, had previously lived in The Roselia society in Sector 95, said police. He reportedly vacated his rented flat overnight and fled earlier this year after victims began approaching the police. Investigators said the suspects are currently on the run.

At least ten families have submitted written complaints against Yadav and his associates at the Sector 93 police post, officers said. Over half a dozen more families are yet to take formal action, they added.

One of the complainants, Pooja Yadav, a private school teacher, alleged that Saurabh duped her of over ₹10 lakh between September 2023 and March 2024 by promising a 2BHK, 580 sq ft apartment worth ₹37 lakh in The Proxima society in Sector 89, according to police.

According to investigators, Saurabh’s modus operandi involved initially helping people rent vacant apartments without taking any brokerage, thereby winning their trust. He would then message them with offers of subsidised flats under EWS housing schemes, collecting money as “down payments” and “processing charges”.

Police said the apartment promised to Pooja was already legally allotted to someone else. “He used the same technique with multiple victims,” an officer said.

On Wednesday, Pooja and several other victims approached senior police officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), seeking urgent action.

“We urged officials to help recover our hard-earned money. Police summoned Yadav multiple times earlier but let him go after he submitted written assurances to return the money. He goes missing each time he’s released,” Pooja said.

In response, Sandeep Kumar, public relations officer of Gurugram Police, said, “We will collect all necessary evidence from victims for a thorough investigation. Arrests will be made soon, and we will also attempt to recover the duped money.”