A significant case of alleged fraud has emerged in Mumbai tied to the Project Affected Person (PAP) flats under the jurisdiction of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). An FIR has been registered with the police regarding the cheating amounting to Rs 5.57 crore. Among the individuals implicated is Vishwanath Jadhav, who formerly served as a personal assistant to a Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and now holds a similar position for a current Member of Parliament.

The matter came to light following a formal complaint lodged by Akash Radheshyam Soni. Soni claimed that he and his business associates were deceived on the premise of acquiring PAP flats across Mumbai. His complaint detailed that he, along with his business partner, became acquainted with Shailesh Kakan and his associates in the real estate sector in 2017.

The accused reportedly asserted connections with senior officials from the SRA and other prominent figures, providing assurances that PAP flats would be easily accessible in various locations, including Andheri, Santacruz, Bandra, Kandivali, and Matunga.

Collection of Funds from Buyers

The complainant further alleged that the accused accepted payments in multiple instalments, which included initial token amounts while repeatedly promising that the allotments of the flats would soon be finalised.

It was reported that the accused provided documentation they claimed was issued by the SRA, consisting of various official records, such as allotment letters, communications from the Collector, approvals from the competent authority, society No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and electricity bills. However, upon consulting SRA officials in 2024, Soni purportedly discovered that the documents were counterfeit and inconsistent with official government records.

Details from the FIR and Ongoing Investigation

The FIR identifies Shailesh Kakan, Rupesh Velenkar, Abhishek Gujar, Vishwanath Jadhav, among others, as acting in concert to orchestrate a scheme to defraud potential buyers by promising PAP flats. Additionally, the complaint states that Jadhav had promised one of the complainants that he could obtain a flat for Rs 25 lakh. He has also been officially named as a suspect in the case.

Mumbai Police are currently conducting an investigation into the financial transactions related to this case, scrutinising the veracity of the documents presented to buyers and delineating the specific contributions of each accused party. The investigation is still underway as efforts continue to gather more evidence and clarify the extent of the alleged fraud.

As developments unfold, the focus remains on understanding the mechanisms of the fraudulent operation and bringing those responsible to justice, ensuring the protection of other potential victims in similar housing schemes.

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