Malad East doctor allegedly cheated in bogus luxury apartment scheme; accused tracked down from Indore red-light area
Mumbai: A 33-year-old doctor from Malad East was allegedly duped of Rs 65 lakh in a fake luxury flat scheme, following which the Kurar Police arrested one of the accused from Indore after a two-year search.
According to police officials, the arrested accused, aged 38, was apprehended from Indore on May 2 and later brought to Mumbai. The second accused is already lodged in a Madhya Pradesh jail in connection with a similar cheating case.
Accused posed as businessman, offered luxury flats at discounted rates
Police investigations revealed that the accused duo allegedly operated under the guise of businessmen and claimed to run a social welfare organisation. They reportedly targeted financially well-off individuals by offering luxury flats in upscale locations at prices significantly below market rates.
To gain the confidence of victims, the accused allegedly arranged site visits to premium properties. After convincing buyers, they reportedly demanded 35 per cent of the flat’s value as an advance payment for registration formalities.
However, after collecting the money, the accused would allegedly switch off their mobile phones and disappear.
Doctor paid Rs 65 lakh over two years
As per the complaint filed with Kurar Police, the accused first came in contact with the doctor through a relative in September 2023. They gradually built trust by frequently visiting his clinic before offering him a luxury flat in Altamount Tower in Malad East.
Initially, the accused allegedly collected Rs 25 lakh in cash from the doctor for registration purposes. Later, they reportedly pressured him to transfer an additional Rs 40 lakh online, claiming it was required to process a housing loan.
Despite collecting a total of Rs 65 lakh over two years, the accused allegedly failed to complete the registration process and eventually stopped responding to calls.
Realising he had been cheated, the doctor approached the police and filed a complaint, reported Mid-Day.
Police tracked accused to PG accommodation in Indore
During the investigation, police discovered that the arrested accused frequently visited red-light areas in different cities to evade arrest.
Acting on a tip-off, Kurar Police traced him to a paying guest accommodation located in a red-light area in Indore. He was arrested and is currently in judicial custody.
Police officials said further investigation is underway to identify whether more victims were targeted in the alleged fake luxury flat racket.
