Redevelopment Fraud: Two Cases Filed Against Wadhawan

Mumbai: Two cases of cheating have been lodged against Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, the director of Housing Development and Infrastructure India Limited (HDIL), at the BKC police station on January 3 in a redevelopment fraud case. The complainants alleged that Wadhawan, along with his agents Nasrin Shaikh and Usman Shaikh forged documents to sell huts to agents and unlawfully attempted to gain benefits from the redevelopment scheme.

The complainants, Hameedabano Shaikh (55) from Maharashtra Nagar, Bandra East, and Fariuddin Shaikh (68) from Bharat Nagar, Bandra East, moved to the court in 2019 because the police refused the file cases, after the court order BKC police registered the cases.

Background of the redevelopment project case

According to police reports, Maharashtra Nagar, Bandra East, was designated as a redevelopment zone, and HDIL collaborated with the Basera organisation for a redevelopment plan. The organisation obtained original documents of Hameedabano Shaikh's hut, took her signature on various documents and promised her redevelopment benefits, which were never fulfilled. She vacated her hut in 2006, handing it over to HDIL, which subsequently provided her with transit rent amounting to ₹5 lakh in cash from 2006 to 2011. Despite her inquiries, HDIL failed to provide her with a redevelopment house.

In 2012, Hameedabano Shaikh filed multiple complaints with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) regarding her entitlement to a redevelopment house or transit rent from HDIL.

During the SRA hearing, HDIL falsely claimed that Hameedabano had sold her hut to Nasrin Shaikh. However, in 2018, the SRA rejected HDIL and Nasrin Shaikh's interval applications and instructed HDIL to compensate Hameedabano Shaikh with transit rent.

HDIL subsequently paid her Rs1.32 lakh via cheque.

In a similar vein, one Fariuddin Shaikh alleged collusion between HDIL and an agent, Usman Shaikh of Bharat Nagar. Fariuddin accused them of fabricating documents, forging signatures, and falsely claiming that he sold his hut to Usman Shaikh. Fariuddin also went to SRA and SRA gave a decision in favour of Fariuddin. The HDIL, Nasrin Shaikh and Usman Shaikh contested it at the Apex Grievance Redressal Committee (AGRC) in 2019, only to have their challenges rejected.

Cases filed against Rakesh Wadhawan at BKC police station

Both Hameedabano and Fariuddin Shaikh filed cases against Rakesh Wadhawan, Nasrin Shaikh, Usman Shaikh, and two unidentified individuals at the BKC police station on January 3. Charges include sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 423 (false statement of consideration), 463 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code.

Shakil Ahmad Shaikh, Fariuddin's son, commented, “Both my father and Hameedabano Shaikh initially faced police reluctance when attempting to file cases. After approaching the court in 2019, the Bandra Session Court issued orders in 2023, prompting the police to initiate legal proceedings after a delay of over a month.”