Teacher duped of ₹41 lakh, promised ‘cheap’ MHADA flat

According to the complainant, Huda Deshmukh, her husband got acquainted with one of the accused, Salam Khan, who said he had helped people get MHADA flats for cheaper prices in 2016. In February 2017, Khan showed them a flat in Kurla West, for which they paid him ₹12 lakh

MUMBAI: Four people have been booked for allegedly duping a teacher from Bandra East of ₹41 lakh by promising her an affordable house in the MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) scheme in Kurla.

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According to the complainant, Huda Deshmukh, her husband got acquainted with one of the accused, Salam Khan, who said he had helped people get MHADA flats for cheaper prices in 2016. In February 2017, Khan showed them a flat in Kurla West, for which they paid him ₹12 lakh.

“A few days later, he asked us to come to the MHADA office in Bandra East with the money. We were waiting in the canteen of the office while he took the money to an official. He came back with a key and told us we would get possession of the flat in a few days,” Deshmukh told the police.

The couple was then told that there was some problem in the flat they were allotted, and therefore, they were given the keys to another house. “We started living in this second house after a few days. A couple of months later, a woman came knocking, claiming that the said house was in the name of her late father,” added Deshmukh.

At that time, Khan intervened and shifted the family into another flat on the same floor. This second flat also needed to be vacated, and Khan asked them to shift into another flat in the building where the family could live on rent. “Khan had assured us he would pay back the money we spent on the rent as soon as he could sort the issue with our flat ownership,” she added.

“Once the family thought that their issue had been resolved, Khan told them about another flat in the building that was also available for ₹12 lakh. They also made this deal with him,” said an official from Kherwadi police.

Before finalising the deal, Khan introduced the Deshmukh family to the other two accused, Viru and Sundar Lubana. “These two said they would help the family get cheap MMRDA flats like Khan had. For this, they asked for ₹15 lakh. This time, the family insisted on being present during their meeting. They were then introduced to Nizam Sheikh, who posed as an MMRDA officer,” the officer said.

After living in the flat for two years, the family realised they had been duped. For many months, the group told the complainant and her family that the allotment letter could not be given due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Later, they refused any communication with the family. “The complainant approached us some days back. We have booked all four accused under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (cheating by personation), and 420 (cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code,” he added.