Navi Mumbai Couple Booked for Rs 29 Lakh Bank Fraud Using Forged Property Papers
Kalachowkie police have registered an FIR against a Navi Mumbai couple for allegedly cheating a cooperative bank of Rs 29.28 lakh by mortgaging the same flat to two banks using forged property documents. The case came to light nearly a decade after the loan was sanctioned.
The accused, Sadanand Vishwanath Dhekne and his wife, Nalini Dhekne, residents of Worli, Mumbai, reportedly used their jointly purchased flat in Nerul to obtain loans from two cooperative banks. They first availed a Rs 28.50 lakh loan in September 2014 and later a Rs 30 lakh loan in December 2014.
Repayments on the second loan allegedly stopped from April 2016, turning it non-performing. As of August 2016, Rs 29.28 lakh remained outstanding, prompting recovery action. The fraud surfaced in June 2025 when the Lalbaug branch initiated SARFAESI action to auction the flat and discovered another bank had already initiated proceedings. Document verification showed alleged forgery, leading the bank to approach the police.
Under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002, banks can recover dues from defaulting borrowers without court intervention. In this case, the SARFAESI action included issuing statutory notices, taking possession of the flat, and moving towards auction. The process was halted after the discovery of the double-loan fraud.
The loan trail is as follows: - Sept 24, 2014: Rs 28.50 lakh loan from Bank 1 in NM Joshi Marg - Dec 15, 2014: Rs 30 lakh loan sanctioned by Bank 2 in Lalbaug - April 2016: Repayment stopped - Aug 2016: Rs 29.28 lakh outstanding - June 2025: Fraud detected during SARFAESI action - Dec 23 2025: FIR registered
The police have initiated further investigations to uncover the full extent of the fraud and to bring the accused to justice.
