11 June,2026 08:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya Iyer
Pramod Patil got trapped after selling his Nalasopara flat in 2024, hoping to move closer to work. Illustration/Uday Mohite
A daily three-hour commute from Nalasopara to Rabale had become exhausting for 51-year-old Pramod Patil. Hoping to spend less time travelling and more time with his family, the technician sold his flat and decided to buy a home closer to his workplace. Instead, he lost Rs 29.5 lakh to a real estate agent who promised him a MHADA flat in Dadar, leaving him without a home.
The Bhoiwada police have registered a cheating case against real estate agent Anil Arun Mane, 35, a resident of the MHADA Colony in Kalachowki.
A case has been registered and the Bhoiwada police station based on the complaint filed by the victim. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
"The fraud has left my family's finances in distress. Having sold my original flat to fund the purchase, I now live with my wife and two daughters in a rented home in Nalasopara. We are hoping to recover the money through the police investigation and court proceedings," Patil said.
Mane showed other properties in the area, and in August 2025, Patil allegedly paid an additional Rs 9.5 lakh after being offered another flat. Even then, neither possession nor ownership documents were provided. When Patil repeatedly sought either the flat or a refund, Mane avoided returning the money, prompting him to approach the police.
A WhatsApp screengrab of the chat. PIC/AISHWARYA IYER
Patil, who works with a private company in Rabale, sold his flat in Nalasopara in 2024. Through an acquaintance, he was introduced to Mane, who allegedly claimed he could arrange a MHADA flat in the Bombay Dyeing Mill Colony in Dadar East. Mane allegedly showed Patil a flat in the colony and struck a deal for Rs 42.5 lakh.
Patil paid Rs 25,000 as a token amount and later transferred Rs 19.75 lakh. A notarised agreement was also executed in the name of Patil's wife, Reshma. Mane allegedly assured him that possession would be handed over within three months or the money would be refunded with interest. However, the flat was never handed over, and Mane later informed Patil that it was unavailable.
Mane, whose office is located in Bhavnagari Cottage on SS Wagh Marg in Dadar East, will be issued a notice and asked to cooperate with the investigation, said the investigating officer at Bhoiwada police station. Officials at Bhoiwada police station told mid-day that a similar cheating case had previously been registered against Mane at RAK Marg police station. This is still under trial in the court.
Police sources also revealed that they had received information that a police official had been duped by Mane in a similar manner in the past, though the matter was reportedly resolved privately and no case was registered. Given the history of the accused, officials confirmed that there is a possibility of him being arrested after a brief investigation.
Rs 29.5 lakh
Amount Pramod Patil was allegedly duped of
