In two separate cases that have surfaced in Dadar, two individuals were allegedly cheated of a total of Rs50 lakh by fraudsters who promised them heavily discounted Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) flats under the so-called “MLA quota.” The accused, posing as well-connected individuals with influence in government departments, lured their victims with fake assurances of priority housing.
Childhood Friends Turn Conmen
According to the FIR, Dr. Arvind Ramraj Singh,55, a resident of Mira Road and the owner of Noemi Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. in Dadar West, filed a complaint stating that his childhood friend, Sanjay Haribhan Singh, defrauded him of Rs35 lakh.
The incident allegedly occurred between April 1, 2021, and May 31, 2021. Sanjay, a civil contractor operating under the proprietorship V. Chal Engineering Technocore, frequently visited Dr. Singh’s home and office. Sanjay claimed to have strong connections with various government departments including MHADA, SRA, BMC, and PWD.
He promised Dr. Singh a MHADA flat in the Dadar area under the MLA quota, originally valued at Rs2.75 crore, for a reduced price of Rs80 lakh. To process the file through Mantralaya, Sanjay demanded Rs20 lakh in cash, followed by an additional Rs15 lakh. When he demanded yet another Rs10 lakh in August 2021, Dr. Singh refused to pay until proper documentation was provided.
Suspicious, Dr. Singh made independent inquiries with MHADA, only to discover that no such MLA quota scheme existed. When asked to return the funds, Sanjay issued a Rs15 lakh cheque, which subsequently bounced due to insufficient funds.
Following this, Dr. Singh lodged a formal complaint. The Dadar Police have registered a case under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating and further investigations are underway.
Cheating by Claiming to Be a Mantralaya Official
In a similar case, Shailesh Ambavi Patel,35, a resident of Brahmasiddhi Building, Century Bazar, Prabhadevi, was conned of Rs15 lakh by one Rajesh Suresh Shinde, who posed as a government official in Mantralaya.
Shinde allegedly claimed he could secure a flat worth Rs2–3 crore in the Suraj Avha Maria building in Dadar West under the MLA quota for Rs1.18 crore. To build trust, he first placed a stationery order with Patel, who was in the business. Later, between September 3 and September 11, 2024, he convinced Patel to pay Rs15 lakh in multiple installments, citing expenses required to process the allotment through the Mantralaya.
He also claimed that the flat would be arranged via MLA Mahendra Dalvi and promised possession by November 2024. However, when MHADA conducted its lottery and Patel received no flat, he confronted Shinde, who gave evasive answers.
Upon learning that Shinde had allegedly cheated others as well, Patel filed a complaint. The Dadar Police have booked Rajesh Shinde under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.
Both investigations are ongoing, and police are verifying if more individuals were defrauded by the accused.
