Mumbai News: Jewellery Business Man Loses ₹6 Lakh In MHADA Scam

A 56-year-old jewellery businessman was duped of Rs6 lakh by two people who lured him with the promise of a flat from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra’s quota in MHADA Colony, Powai.

According to the FIR filed on July 3, Kantilal Mehta resides in Borivali East and has a gold jewellery business in Zaveri Bazaar. His childhood friend introduced him to one of the accused Nikhil Doshi around eight years ago. Doshi, who resides in Kandivali West, has a business dealing in product eyeglass frames.

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In July 2020, when Mehta and his friends, including Doshi, were together, Doshi said that he was acquainted with MHADA officers and promised to provide a flat from the chief minister’s quota for sale in MHADA Colony, Powai. He further stated that an initial payment of Rs3 lakh would be required. Doshi informed Mehta that monthly instalments of Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 would have to be paid for up to 30 years. He also told Mehta that a bank account had to be opened in the Saraswat Bank solely for crediting the instalments. Doshi claimed that MHADA officer (another accused) Vilas Chavan would distribute the flats and that possession would be received within six months.

Mehta and his two friends decided to buy a house. Mehta intended to buy two houses, one for himself and one in his son-in-law’s name. In September 2020, he gave Rs6 lakh to Doshi in cash at his house in Mahaveernagar, Kandivali West. Subsequently, Doshi provided forms to Mehta, which he filled out and used to open bank accounts at Saraswat Bank. Whenever Mehta inquired about the flats, Doshi avoided responding.

On November 22, 2023, Chavan sent a list on WhatsApp to Mehta containing the names of 40 people, including Mehta and his son-in-law. Chavan said that they would have to come to the MHADA office on December 5 for the registration and provided a list of required documents. However, as the letter did not have the signatures of the officers, Mehta became suspicious.

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Mehta’s friends, Sameer Parikh and Rakesh Chhajed, also had given money to Chavhan for flats. Chavan admitted to receiving the payments and returned nearly Rs2.5 lakh to one of the three, but the money for Mehta and the other person has not been refunded.

Finally, Mehta lodged a complaint against Doshi and Chavan under Indian Penal Code sections 34 (common intention), 406 (breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) with the Kandivali police.