Two realtors were arrested for allegedly cheating hundreds of investors on the pretext of selling them flats at two different residential township projects at Maharsahtra's Navi Mumbai, the police said on Saturday.
The accused - identified as Pavan Datta, 52, and Gagan Deep Chawla, 42 - used to introduce themselves as the directors of Lakshish Infrastructure, a real estate development company. The duo is alleged to have cheated investors to the tune of R18 crore and used the amount to purchase property in their own names, said Sanjay Tyagi, additional DCP (EOW).
"Their arrests followed investigations into a complaint filed by a senior citizen in November, 2011. The victim had invested R15 lakh in an upcoming residential township project off the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Maharashtra which was later found to have not received the necessary government approvals," said additional DCP Tyagi.
According to the police, the investors were lured into investing on the assurance that the land would be purchased in their names and they would be handed over developed plots and flats following the execution of a development agreement with them.
However, only about 10 acres was purchased in the names of some of the investors as against the accused purchasing more than 100 acres of land in their own names.
{{/usCountry}}However, only about 10 acres was purchased in the names of some of the investors as against the accused purchasing more than 100 acres of land in their own names.
{{/usCountry}}"A police team kept surveillance on the movement of accused, which resulted in their arrest from Delhi. Around 153 acres of land, purchased by them in Raigad district of Maharashta in their individual names or in the names of their family members, has been identified and frozen. Further diversion of funds is being ascertained," Tyagi added.