Builder sells flats meant for poor to the affluent in Mumbai

Padma Betai was horrified when asked to sign an affidavit declaring herself as belonging to the weaker section in spite of having just done a deal for a flat worth Rs26,46,900.

However, she did not take long to realise that the false affidavit was the builder’s stunt to camouflage their unfair trade practice of selling flats reserved for the weaker section to the affluent.

Refusing to be a party to their illegal deeds, Betai approached the state consumer disputes redressal commission demanding a compensation of Rs26,46,900, including the refund of the sum paid to the builder already.

While the matter is due to be heard on June 6, the commission not just took note of the seriousness of the matter in the earlier hearing but also appointed an advocate as ammicus curie agreeing to quantify his fees. 

Betai booked a flat in a building named PrimRose which is part of Ackruti Gardenia complex in Mira Road (east) on September 19, 2009.

On May 18, 2010, when he went for the execution of the agreement for sale, he was asked to sign the false affidavit. “We realised that the land where the construction was on fell under section 20 of the ULC act,” said Vinod Betai who went on to explain how they were kept in the dark about these details during the booking of the flat.

“The developer had to sell 75% of the flats to the weaker section and that they were circumventing this condition by obtaining affidavits from flat buyers by hiding facts,” he added.