Man promised Mhada flats, cheated people of lakhs

A 35-year-old man, who has allegedly cheated several people of lakhs by promising to help them buy state-built low-cost homes, was arrested on Thursday.

A 35-year-old man, who has allegedly cheated several people of lakhs by promising to help them buy state-built low-cost homes, was arrested on Thursday.

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Tulsidas Nair, who owns an office in Santacruz (East), claims he is the president of the Rahul Gandhi Youth Brigade. But Anil Kharade, senior inspector of the Vakola police station, said: “Nair is not a even remotely connected to any political party.”

After the police arrested and charged Nair with cheating and criminal intimidation acting on a complaint filed by Dadar resident Chandrakant Nimbalkar, 67, in July, they also filed a molestation complaint against him.

A woman, whose name was not disclosed, claimed that Nair had molested her when she had gone to his office to enquire about the Mhada flat he had promised to give her. Nair has more than 18 similar cases registered against him at the Vakola police station.

Nimbalkar, who owns a medicine shop in Dadar, had met Nair through an agent in 2008. Nair claimed to have high-profile contacts and said he could easily get any Mhada flat. “The victim gave him Rs 18 lakh in 2008. But after two years, when Nimbalkar did not get a Mhada flat, he suspected foul play,” said Kharade. Nair threatened Nimbalkar when he said he would approach the police. “We are enquiring if Nair was involved in similar offences,” said a police officer, on condition of anonymity.