Mumbai: Three booked for cheating Mulund man in 11-year property deal

The victim agreed to buy a 250 sq ft chawl room on Haji Malang Road, Kalyan, for `2 lakh. Representation pic/istock

Mulund police have booked three Kalyan residents - Yogesh Patil, Amar Patil, and Shina Patil - for allegedly cheating 58-year-old Nagraj Harijan in a room-purchase agreement that dates back to 2014.

Harijan, a resident of Indiranagar, Mulund West, told police he had agreed to buy a 250 sq ft chawl room on Haji Malang Road, Kalyan, for Rs 2 lakh. Between 2014 and 2017, he allegedly paid a total of Rs 2.5 lakh in instalments covering booking, documentation, and "samiti expenses", which the accused claimed were required for local committee approvals. The trio reportedly issued stamped receipts and notarised papers to make the deal appear legitimate.

Over the years, the accused allegedly postponed possession, shifting Harijan from one proposed unit to another and assuring him that only minor finishing works, such as painting and installation of fixtures, were pending. Police said the prolonged delay in complaining was because the trio maintained contact for years, continuing to assure the complainant of imminent possession. The complaint was filed only after Harijan visited their office in Kalyan, found it shut, and failed to reach them by phone.

The case falls under Mulund police jurisdiction as the first payment was made near Mulund station. An FIR has been registered under Sections 316(2), 318(4), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said further investigation is underway, and the accused will be summoned for questioning.