Builder with alleged links to Chhota Rajan discharged in MCOCA case

Builder Mahesh Patel has been discharged by a Mumbai court from 2005 charges of being part of the Chhota Rajan gang, which allegedly threatened builders, developers and housing societies to hand over redevelopment projects to firms favoured by them and extorted money. The court found that there was nothing to show that Patel had approached the crime syndicate or instigated anybody to secure work. The case centred around allegations that Patel's firm, Shiv Sagar Developers, had secured contracts to redevelop properties of several societies in Chembur, a Rajan gang bastion.

MUMBAI: A special MCOCA court on Wednesday discharged builder Mahesh Patel booked in 2005 for allegedly being part of Chhota Rajan gang. It was alleged that the gang threatened builders, developers, housing societies to hand over redevelopment projects to developers favoured by them and extorted money.

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Patel, a Ghatkopar resident, and his partner had secured contracts to redevelop properties of several societies in Chembur, a Rajan gang bastion. It was alleged that Rajan through his aide Bharat Nepali threatened society office bearers and developers to hand over their projects to Patel’s firm.

The builder, however, claimed that he did not take over any projects from firms such as Khushi Developers and Suraj Infotech Exports Pvt Ltd or Aditya Developers, and had no connection with the syndicate purportedly run by Rajan Nikalje aka Chhota Rajan.

It was claimed that prior to 2001, the complainant had signed a contract with Shanti Niketan Society in Chembur for its redevelopment. Initially, the work was only for repairs, but later the society decided to redevelop the building.

It was alleged that the complainant firm failed to fulfil the conditions imposed by the society, which then cancelled the contract and appointed Patel’s firm, Shiv Sagar Developers, to undertake the redevelopment work. Patel’s firm had given an offer to the society in July 2004 pursuant to which a fresh agreement was signed between the society and Shiv Sagar Developers, under which the complainant’s firm was given ₹50 lakh and the redevelopment work was to be carried out by Patel’s firm.

The complainant later alleged that he was threatened by Rajan’s close aide Bharat Nepali to give ₹10 lakh to continue his work in Tilak Nagar. Further, it was claimed that after a few days when he was to take up the development work of the said building, he received a call from Nepali to settle the case with the society as the gang had decided to give the redevelopment work of the society to Patel.

Moreover, the chairman of the society claimed that on April 21, 2004, the redevelopment work was given to Paradise Construction but in May 2004, they received a call from Nepali not to continue with the firm and assign the work to Patel’s firm. Besides, it was alleged that on May 14, 2005, a meeting was held between the complainant, office bearers of the society and Patel to discuss various issues.

The MCOCA court, however, questioned the timing of the meeting and said that if the meeting was held in May 2005, and thereafter the complainant left the work because of the threat “how the society passed the resolution on July 30, 2004, for handing over the construction work to Patel, almost a year prior to the date”. It, the court said, showed that the society had given work of construction to the applicant (Patel) first and then the applicant issued alleged threats to the complainant. “Prima facie it is not digestible,” the court added.

“Even after considering the statement of the other witnesses, it seems that the applicant had not threatened any office bearers and inhabitants of the society to get the work. There is nothing to show that Patel had approached the crime syndicate and instigated anybody to get the work. No link is established between the other accused and the applicant,” the court said while discharging Patel.