Mumbai: A Builder and His Son Are Arrested for Defrauding Flat Purc hasers of Rs 1.87 Crore
Mumbai: The builder father and his son have been detained by Mumbai’s Kasturba Marg Police for allegedly defrauding a senior person and a couple out of ₹1.87 crore by selling the same apartment to many customers. Mihir Ashok Jethwa and his father, Ashok Jethwa, have been named as the accused. They are both directors of Triveni Developers and are being held by the police due to many allegations of dishonesty. According to the police, the pair has been the subject of over ten such instances.
Nine years ago, Gururaja Rao, a 73-year-old Borivali resident of Datta Pada Road, was considering making an apartment investment. Triveni Developers, who were renovating a cooperative housing society in Borivali, caught his attention during his quest. Rao met Mihir and Ashok Jethwa to talk about the apartment since it seemed like building was underway when he visited the location.
He was offered Flat No. 1901 on Wing A’s 19th level by the developers. Rao paid ₹1.51 crore and got an allocation letter because he trusted them. But Rao found out a few years later that another buyer had purchased the identical apartment. He challenged the Jethwas, who promised him an apartment in a different property and said he would have it by August 2023. But that project is still unfinished.
According to the police, the accused deceived Nehal Patel and her spouse Ritesh Patel in a similar manner. They paid the developers ₹36.18 lakh and were promised an apartment in the B Wing of the same New Shivkrupa Co-operative Housing Society. Since the apartment was sold to another buyer, they were also denied title and occupancy.
Both victims sought their money back after discovering the deception. But the Jethwas wouldn’t give the money back. After that, the couple and the elderly person went to the Kasturba Marg Police and filed a complaint.
Police accused Mihir and Ashok Jethwa of defrauding and violating pertinent provisions of the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act (MOFA) after verifying the allegation. After being taken into prison on Wednesday and appearing in court, the two were remanded to police custody.
Police discovered throughout the inquiry that Ashok Jethwa and Mihir had been engaged in other instances of cheating in the past. More than 10 charges involving fraud and misappropriation have been filed against them, including five at Kasturba Marg Police Station, four at Borivali Police Station, and one at MHB Police Station. According to authorities, the father-son pair has also been taken into custody in another instance of infidelity.