Estate agent, construction firm partners booked for duping bizman of ₹2.43 cr

Kandivali police book Shreeji Construction Company partners and estate agent for cheating a businessman of ₹2.43 crore in a slum project investment scheme.

MUMBAI: The Kandivali police booked two partners of the Shreeji Construction Company and an estate agent on Monday for allegedly cheating a businessman by luring him to invest ₹2.43 crore in a slum rehabilitation project in Kandivali village with the promise of high returns.

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According to the complainant, Narendra Surykant Shah (69), he had met the estate agent, Sunil Bafna, through acquaintances. In 2019, Bafna introduced him to the partners of Shreeji Construction Company who offered him partnership in a slum rehabilitation project they were developing as Shreeji Park View.

Since the partners, identified as Kirti Mehta and Mona Mehta, did not have adequate finance to develop the project, they offered Shah six flats in his name and one flat in the name of his wife in lieu of financing the project. The accused has allegedly taken ₹2.43 crore from Shah since the signing of a sales agreement in 2019, that includes registration and parking charges, and the commission of the estate agent.

In 2022, Shreeji Construction Company signed a contract with Ruparel Realty. According to Shah, in that contract, there was no mention of the seven flats that were promised to him. When Shah asked, the two accused kept stalling him and till the beginning of this year, they did not give him any surety about the flats.

Shah also stated in the FIR that the Mehta couple did not return his money, after which he approached the Kandivali police and registered a case against the duo and Bafna. Based on the complaint, the police have booked the three under 316 (2) (criminal breach of trust), 318 (4) (cheating) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

“We are presently verifying the documents and the bank transactions done by the complainant,” said a police officer from Kandivali police station.