Namesake spoils flat winner’s party

Three days after he was felicitated by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) for having won a flat in the lottery, coaching class teacher Prabhakar Sitaram Shinde was in for a rude shock.

Three days after he was felicitated by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) for having won a flat in the lottery, coaching class teacher Prabhakar Sitaram Shinde was in for a rude shock.

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On Friday, MHADA told him it was not he but his namesake who had won the flat.

Shinde had rushed to Mumbai from Pune on Tuesday when he heard he had won a flat at Ghatkopar. He was even felicitated by MHADA and he gave television interviews expressing his joy.

On Friday, the picture was entirely different.

“My name has appeared all across Maharashtra and India and today I am told that I am not getting a flat. This is not done,” said Shinde.

Shinde, who has been moving from one rented flat to another, was looking forward to moving to his new apartment.

The problem arose when it was discovered that it was Prabhakar Krishna Shinde, a Thane resident who has won the flat at Turbhe, Mankhurd.

The actual winner told Hindustan Times, “I was also tense when I some other person giving interviews in my name on television. I sent my brother yesterday to check my name and he confirmed that it was indeed me who has won the flat.”

Amarjeet Singh Manhas, president of MHADA’s Mumbai board said he sympathised with the former but could do little. “He should have checked his name instead of relying on his friends,” Manhas said adding that he will ensure that MHADA checks the receipts before felicitating winners in future to avoid such embarrassment.

The draw had more than 3.17 lakh applicants for 3,449 houses and MHADA had installed a computerised lottery system to ensure transparency in the process.