Mumbai: Bhandup Police File Three FIRs in Rs 21 Lakh Property Fraud

The Bhandup police have booked five individuals in three separate FIRs for allegedly cheating families of Rs 21.58 lakh under the pretext of selling flats. The accused used middlemen, misleading documents, and claims of connections with the BMC and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to gain the trust of the victims.

In the first case, a 33-year-old Prabhadevi resident alleged that Sunil Trimbak Nikalje, a 59-year-old Powai-based estate agent, duped him of Rs 3.58 lakh between October 2024 and February 2025. Nikalje promised a room at Utkarsh Nagar under an SRA project and claimed to have connections with BMC and SRA officials. He showed the complainant what later turned out to be a fake receipt.

In the second case, a 49-year-old Bhandup-based woman alleged that Ashok Kumar Singh and his wife, Sheela Ashok Kumar Singh, took Rs 13 lakh from her after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sale of a room in Khindipada. The couple assured her that the property would be transferred to her name after receiving the balance amount. However, they later refused to do so.

In the third case, a 52-year-old private employee claimed that Satish Manik Kasbe, a property agent, along with one Komal Sitaram Singh, cheated him of Rs 5 lakh in 2021. They claimed that a hut in Nahur was eligible under an SRA project and available for sale. However, he later discovered that the hut was registered in another woman’s name.

Based on the complaints, cases have been registered under relevant sections of the law. Police have stated that notices will be issued to the accused persons to appear before the Bhandup police station for questioning.

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) is a government body in Maharashtra, India, responsible for the rehabilitation and relocation of slum dwellers. It aims to provide housing and infrastructure to improve the living conditions of the urban poor. The SRA works in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to implement various slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai.

These cases highlight the importance of due diligence and verification when dealing with property transactions, especially those involving government schemes. Homebuyers are advised to verify the authenticity of all documents and claims made by agents and sellers to avoid falling victim to similar frauds.