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Marathi star Vikram Gokhale, 2 lawyers booked for cheating 14 homebuyers in Pune

A couple, both lawyers, whose identity has been withheld, had sold pieces of land, for which the Marathi actor had advertised, claiming it to be a government-approved project

Updated on: Mar 19, 2020, 16:48:57 IST
Hindustan Times, Pune | By
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A case of cheating was registered against Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale and a lawyer couple, on Tuesday by Pune rural police. The case is based on a complaint lodged by Jayant Prabhakar Bahirat.

A case of cheating was registered against Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale and a lawyer couple, on Tuesday by Pune rural police. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)
A case of cheating was registered against Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale and a lawyer couple, on Tuesday by Pune rural police. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

A couple, both lawyers, whose identity has been withheld, had sold pieces of land, for which the Marathi actor had advertised, claiming it to be a government-approved project.

“I do not know the people who have lodged this complaint. Of the 258 buyers only 14 buyers are complaining about the lawyer couple. I was just the brad ambassador and was getting paid. Since February 2019, I have not been going to the company and I have tendered my resignation. This cannot be an FIR. Revenue record and 7/12 records are available for all the land pieces. When I was in the company, I have made my point in front of the Lokayukt as well,” said Gokhale.

These houses were in parts of Dongargaon in Mulshi , according to the complainant.

The complainant claimed that the couple, assured buyers that the project did not have legal shortcomings. However, in 2016, the couple started opposing owner plans to undertake a government land measurement initiative, claimed the complainant.

As the buyers got the land measurement done independently, they found that documents provided to them were of pieces of land that did not match the land on which their houses stood. There were other loopholes in the land-related documents provided by the couple.

Along with the complainant, 13 other buyers have levied the same allegations against the lawyer couple. The total amount of cheating of these 14 buyers is estimated to be around Rs 96,99,000, according to the police. The complainant claims that there are others who are yet to come forward with their complaints.

A case under Sections 420 (cheating), 464 (making a false document), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 447 (punishment for criminal trespass), 34 (common intention) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Paud police station in Pune rural police jurisdiction.