Five held in forgery cases involving Mhada flats

Five persons, including the ward vice-president of Congress, have been arrested in two separate cases of cheating pertaining to Mhada flats in Wadala TT area.

Five persons, including the ward vice-president of Congress, have been arrested in two separate cases of cheating pertaining to Mhada flats in Wadala TT area.

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In the first incident, the police arrested a political party activist, Ganesh Devendar, 43, who had allegedly been forging documents for Mhada flats in Wadala (West). Ganesh, with two of his accomplices Lakshmi Devendar and Gopal Devendar, had cheated at least four people in the past two years by forging documents while the owners were away on vacation, said the police.

“We had registered a case against Ganesh in October 2011, and two cases in November last year. But, he applied for an anticipatory bail from the sessions court,” said Suresh Pawar, senior inspector at Wadala TT police station, adding that they moved the high court and the Supreme Court to get the plea rejected.

Ganesh used to make fake documents of Mhada rooms while the tenants were away. He would then approach the prospective clients and sell the flats to them, said the police. The trio was arrested on May 23.

In the second case, the police arrested two persons —Suryakant Gaikwad, 37, a BMC employee, and Maya Chindalia, 34. The duo used to approach locals with a proposal of selling flats in Pratiksha Nagar. They have cheated at least 40 people to the tune of Rs1 crore. In a recent incident, the duo cheated a doctor’s wife off Rs14 lakh by promising her a Mhada flat. The victim paid Rs 8 lakh in December and the remaining amount a few months later. The duo was arrested on Wednesday.