In a shocking case of exploitation, more than a hundred women from economically weaker backgrounds in Ahmedabad have been defrauded of an amount exceeding Rs 2 crore. The scam revolved around false promises of direct house allotments under the government's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), bypassing all official procedures.
The Modus Operandi: Bypassing Forms and Draws
The central figure accused in this fraud is Neel Madhav Patel. According to the police complaint, Patel allegedly claimed to have direct access to allotments under the PMAY scheme. He presented a tantalizing offer to his targets: no government forms to fill, no waiting for a draw of lots. He promised that the keys to a house could be theirs directly, for an initial payment.
The primary complainant, Sunita Bhandari (27), a domestic worker from Paldi, approached the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner's office with her ordeal. Her complaint led the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) to register a First Information Report (FIR) on Monday. Bhandari stated that Patel demanded an initial payment of Rs 20,000 per house. Lured by the promise, she and her family paid Rs 60,000 in cash for three houses.
Escalating Demands and Financial Control
The fraud, however, did not stop at the initial payment. The FIR details that Patel later demanded an additional Rs 52,500 for each house for purported demand drafts and maintenance charges. When Bhandari expressed her inability to pay this hefty sum, Patel allegedly pressured her to take loans. He even suggested her husband take a loan in her name and give him a scooter in exchange for cash.
Over time, Patel's manipulation deepened. He gained access to Bhandari's bank accounts, ATM cards, and signed cheque books. He then persuaded the family to 'upgrade' to a 2BHK flat, demanding a massive Rs 8 lakh upfront. To arrange this money, Bhandari's husband was forced to mortgage their existing house in Paldi. The cash was handed over to Patel in the presence of his father, Dipak Patel, and uncle, Raju Patel, as per the FIR.
The Unraveling of the Promise
The scheme began to collapse when the official PMAY draw was announced. When Bhandari questioned Patel, he allegedly showed her a waiting list and claimed he was travelling abroad. Later, in a bid to placate her and possibly delay legal action, Patel issued about 20 cheques from a private bank, assuring repayment. All these cheques were ultimately dishonoured, revealing the hollow nature of his assurances.
Police investigations based on Bhandari's complaint revealed she was not alone. Over 100 other women are believed to have fallen victim to this elaborate scam, with all the victims belonging to society's weaker sections. The total collective loss is estimated to be well over Rs 2 crore. The case highlights a cruel exploitation of the aspirations of the poor for a home of their own under a flagship government scheme.
