Three booked for duping home buyers

The Rabale police have booked a couple and their business partner for cheating several people by promising them flats in MHADA projects.

Four people have been duped of ₹1.38 crore in all, and the police suspect there are more victims.

Amit and Sumitra Chaphekar and Mahesh Javkar, started MA Tours and Travels in Airoli in 2014. They promised customers MHADA flats in Mulund, Versova and Thane, and took the booking amount from them. They gave the clients fake allotment letters and payment receipts, and also took them for a visit to the under-construction MHADA site at Mulund.

Police inspector Ram Gopal said, “People sold their farms and properties, took bank loans to pay the accused. When the accused stopped responding to phone calls and there was no clarity on when the flats would be ready, the victims went to the MHADA office and learnt that they had been cheated.” When confronted, the accused gave the clients cheques as a refund. But when the cheques bounced, the victims approached the police and filed a complaint last week.

“The accused are residents of Bhandup. Their current whereabouts are not known and they have closed the office as well,” Mr Gopal said.