Thane cops nab one more in MOFA case

The Local Crime Branch (LCB) of the Thane Rural police has arrested one more partner of the Tanvi Construction firm in Kashimira on alleged charges of taking money from hundreds of home buyers and failing to hand over flats in time. Another accused, Bhupat Lukhi, was arrested earlier, while Dahyabhai Sutaria who has also been named in the FIR is yet to be arrested. The police arrested Sangeeta Hegde, partner in the firm, late on Sunday night.

According to the police, hundreds of investors and buyers had invested in the project and were promised possession of flats in 2013. The project, Tanvi Eminence, a two-phase project of 22 storeys was launched in 2010. The work was completed till 10 floors after which the construction came to a halt in 2013. Fed up with false promises from the builders, disgruntled buyers launched a protest against the builders in Kashimira last month.

Superintendent of Police, Thane Rural, Mahesh Patil said, "We have arrested Hegde under sections of Maharashtra Ownership Flats (Regulation of the promotion of construction, sale, management and transfer) Act (MOFA) and for cheating and forgery sections of the Indian Penal Code. Hegde has been remanded to police custody till October 24."

Tarun Shah, one of the buyers alleged, "More than 400 people have been affected and people have invested more Rs 200 crore. Initially it was only Sangeeta and her husband Vijay Kumar who were associated with the company but later on they involved a few diamond merchants in the project."