Directors of Mumbai's Shree Siddhivinayak Builders booked for cheating buyers

Three builders were booked for cheating 20 home buyers by accepting booking amounts from them since 2012 for building a residential project in Adai village in Panvel taluka but not starting the construction work. An FIR was registered against three directors of Shree Siddhivinayak Builders and Developers for allegedly accepting a total of Rs 44 lakh from 20 home buyers. The three accused Motilal Gupta, his son Suraj Gupta and their business partner Dinesh Yadav were booked on Saturday. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Navi Mumbai crime branch has registered a FIR of cheating and criminal breach of trust along with The Maharashtra Ownership of Flats (Regulation of the Promotion, Construction, Sale, Management and Transfer Act (MOFA), 1963, at CBD police station. The accused builders had set up their office at Agrawal Trade Centre in sector 11, opposite CBD railway station. The complaint was lodged by home buyer Vilas Lokre , a Kharghar resident and 19 other home buyers. The victims had booked apartments admeasuring 500 to 550 sq ft in the realty firm’s proposed residential project in Adai. Lokre alleged, “I had booked a flat in the residential project in January 2012 and paid Rs 2 lakh by cheque and cash to Suraj Gupta and Dinesh Yadav at their CBD office. A MoU was signed with the developer and they assured to start construction work in 2013. But till 2014, there was no progress at all.” Later, several home buyers who had paid booking amounts started demanding their flats or refund from the trio. “In 2014, we approached Motilal Gupta who assured to give possession of our flats. However, he increased the rate claiming escalation in building material cost. A new MoU was signed but the project did not take off,” added Lokre. Finally, the builders shut down their CBD office and were incommunicado for about seven months till the home buyers came together and lodged a complaint at Belapur EOW.