Mumbai,police,cheating,MHA
In the urban sprawl of Mumbai, law enforcement took decisive action on Thursday, implicating three individuals, among them a woman, on charges of defrauding a former Indian Army jawan of a substantial ₹22 lakh by enticing him with the promise of a coveted MHADA flat. The alleged perpetrators in this intricate scheme bear the names Manish Panchal, Poonam Panchal, and Datta, also known as Babasaheb Pawar.
Narrating the unfortunate tale, Pravin Madhukar Pavaskar, a 39-year-old employed in a luxurious Mumbai five-star establishment, shared that post his discharge from the Indian Army in 2017, he found himself in possession of a substantial sum, a handsome ₹37 lakh, as retiral dues encompassing provident fund and gratuity. Eager to invest this financial windfall in real estate, Pavaskar, after consulting with his spouse, approached a lifelong companion expressing his interest in acquiring property in Kandivali.
Introductions were made, and the trio of property intermediaries seized the opportunity to acquaint Pavaskar with their proposition—a flat available for purchase in the desirable Mahavir Nagar locality of Kandivali West, quoted at a not insignificant ₹67 lakh.
In an initial display of trust, Pavaskar delivered a considerable sum, a sumptuous ₹27 lakh, to the accused in December 2022, marking the commencement of their transaction. In return, he received assurances of flat possession within half a year. A police official from the Samta Nagar police station recounted, “The accused obtained the keys to the property and conducted a walkthrough with Pavaskar.”
However, as the year 2023 dawned and Pavaskar found himself devoid of possession rights to the flat, he demanded restitution. A partial return of ₹5 lakh was orchestrated by the accused, accompanied by a pledge to secure Pavaskar a flat through the chief minister quota. The officer elucidated, “In 2023, the accused disbursed ₹5 lakh to Pavaskar, coupled with assurances of a property allocation under the chief minister’s purview.”
Reality struck Pavaskar when neither a flat materialized nor did the remainder of his funds return to him. This realization prompted him to seek legal intervention. Subsequently, a case was filed under sections 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code based on Pavaskar’s grievance.
An official statement from the Samta Nagar police station declared, “We have initiated legal proceedings against the trio and are meticulously scrutinizing all financial transactions between Pavaskar and the accused to uncover any discrepancies.”
DA flat,Indian Army