Builder booked for duping man of Rs 2.9 crore

A case of cheating has been registered against city-based Vinamra Developers for allegedly duping a home buyer of Rs 2.9 crore under the pretext of giving him a lavish flat in Santacruz.

The Amboli police have registered a case against Vinamra Developers' Harshad Soni, Amrish Soni, Chetan Dhakan and Harshad's wife Geeta.

According to the FIR, the accused, in connivance with each other offered a flat to the complainant Uday Salian in one of their projects in Santacruz. They forced him to sell his own flat, as well as his sister's flat, to buy the new one. The FIR further states that after taking the money, the accused handed the complainant an allotment letter from the year 2015. However, the flat had already been allotted to someone else.

The builders neither gave Salian the possession of the flat nor did they return the money. The builder had promised to give a 700 sq ft flat to Salian, the FIR stated. "We have registered a case and are probing the matter further," said a police officer.

"All of them conspired against me and took Rs 2.9 crore from me on the promise that they will allot me a flat. I sold my and my sister's house and also borrowed money from my friends and relatives to pay for the flat, but neither did the builders give me a flat or returned my money," Salian said in his complaint. No arrests have been made in the case so far.