Navi Mumbai: A former BJP Yuva Morcha office-bearer has been arrested by Nerul Police for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 3.5 lakh by falsely promising to sell her a flat and a shop in Sector 23, Nerul.
The accused, Ranjit Bhalchandra Naik, who also runs a real estate firm named Samarth Krupa Developers, has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) following a pattern of repeated fraud cases.
The complainant, 51-year-old homemaker Ahmadi Abdurrah Mulla from Tala in Raigad district, approached police after being duped in a fraudulent property deal.
According to the FIR registered at Nerul Police Station, Naik promised her a 950 sq. ft. flat and a 450 sq. ft. shop in the Shivam Classic building in Darave, Nerul for a total of Rs 45 lakh—offered at a heavily discounted rate.
Believing the offer to be genuine, the woman paid Rs 3.5 lakh to Naik between May 2023 and mid-2025 through cheque, online transfer, and cash. However, she never received possession of the property, and when she began asking for a refund, Naik allegedly threatened her. This prompted her to file a police complaint on June 9.
Following preliminary investigation, police charged Naik for cheating and criminal breach. Authorities later discovered that the accused was already facing multiple similar cases registered at Nerul Police Station. These included, two similar cases registered against him in 2023 and two in 2024.
Despite receiving repeated summonses from the police for interrogation, Naik did not respond to official notices, further intensifying suspicion about his involvement in organised fraudulent activity.
"Recognising a consistent pattern in the offenses, Nerul Police, we submitted a proposal to invoke MCOCA against Naik," senior police inspector Brahmananda Naikwadi from Nerul police station said.
The proposal which was sent through the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Turbhe division) to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I), was approved. Acting on the clearance, Naik was arrested late on June 19.
He was produced before the court on June 20, which granted four days of police custody. Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh Phule is currently leading the investigation, and further inquiry is underway to identify additional victims.
