1 arrested for duping over 500 MHADA home buyers, police suspect role of bigger gang

Dhainje was arrested wrong a time of a ailment being lodged by 1 Bahubali Vagyani, 38, connected January 25.

As per the FIR, Vagyani and Dhainje earlier worked unneurotic arsenic ‘sorting executives’ astatine a salient E-commerce institution successful Pimpri Chinchwad.

Later, the complainant near his occupation and started moving astatine different place. Meanwhile, successful October 2022, Dhainje allegedly approached Vagyani and claimed that helium had developed contacts with elder authorities officers. Dhainje assured Vagyani of providing a location astatine a debased terms nether the MHADA lottery strategy by utilizing his contacts.

The complainant allegedly transferred Dhainje Rs 3,000 done online mode successful February 2023 for an MHADA flat. After a fewer days, Dhainje forwarded a forged missive to the complainant connected WhatsApp claiming that MHADA homes had been sanctioned to 8 people. The constabulary said the missive carried the fake signature of an MHADA official.

The FIR mentions that on with the complainant, much persons successful his interaction agreed to wage wealth to Dhainje to get an MHADA apartment. The constabulary claimed 75 radical allegedly transferred Rs 3,000 each to the complainant, who past forwarded the magnitude to Dhainje. But nary of them got an flat from MHADA.

However, Dhainje allegedly asked them to support their documents acceptable for seeking possession of MHADA apartments. He besides allegedly furnished immoderate much fake documents similar the ‘MHADA connection letter’ to triumph the spot of the victims, the FIR mentions.

Further, helium asked the complainant to adhd each his contacts who paid wealth for MHADA apartments to a WhatsApp radical named “MHADA update group”.

Apart from the 75 victims, Dhainje has reportedly cheated 2 much radical of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh successful a akin manner.

Assistant Police Inspector Somnath Tapare, the probe officer, said, “Accused Pratik (Dhainje) was arrested and a tribunal remanded him successful constabulary custody for further investigation. So far, we person accusation that helium cheated respective radical to the tune of Rs 22.41 lakh connected fake promises of giving them MHADA homes. But probe hints astatine a larger scam. We fishy that helium has cheated implicit 500 persons and determination is simply a anticipation of engagement of much persons successful the fraud.”