Mumbai: A woman was arrested by Dindoshi Police for allegedly defrauding three individuals of over Rs 1.22 crore by offering them low-cost flats in prime areas of Mumbai under the guise of official housing schemes. The accused, Bela D’Souza, reportedly posed as a senior official with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority and promised affordable flats in Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Mahim and Bandra.
Police have identified three more accused in the case, Kedar Satam, Jitendra Rathod, and Girish Rao, who are currently absconding. All four have been booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
How Did The Fraud Take Place?
According to a Lokmat Times report, the complainant, Rohit Chandgothia, a businessman from Malad, was introduced to the group through an acquaintance, Rocky Agarwal. Kedar Satam initially claimed to have secured a flat in Oshiwara and later introduced Chandgothia to Bela D’Souza, who was presented as a senior MHADA official. Chandgothia was offered a flat in Dadar for Rs 80 lakh and he eventually paid Rs 72 lakh in cash. The amount was allegedly received by Jitendra Rathod. A receipt was issued, but the flat was never shown to him.
The group also convinced Ramkeval Yadav, who worked with Rocky Agarwal, to pay Rs 25 lakh for an SRA flat in Goregaon. Bela later persuaded Agarwal himself to invest Rs 25 lakh for the booking and stamp duty of six flats in Bandra and Mahim, promising future returns.
All the payments were made between March 2022 and March 2025. Despite repeated follow-ups, none of the promised flats were handed over. As suspicions grew, the accused began avoiding contact and eventually disappeared.
One Arrested, 3 Others Absconding
Following formal complaints, an FIR was registered at Dindoshi Police Station against all four. During the investigation, police tracked down and arrested Bela D’Souza. The remaining three accused are on the run and efforts are underway to locate them.
Police suspect the group may have defrauded other individuals using similar tactics. Cops are now reviewing additional complaints and documents to determine the full scope of the fraud. Authorities are also verifying if the accused had used the names of actual housing schemes or officials to gain the trust of victims. The investigation is ongoing.
