The Property Cell of Mumbai's Crime Branch has made a significant arrest in a high-value land fraud case, apprehending a businessman from Borivli for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to illegally seize a prime 2.5-acre plot in Kandivli. The land had been legally surrendered to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The Core of the Alleged Scam
According to police officials, the suspect, identified as Rinkesh Shah, was taken into custody following a complaint lodged by a BMC engineer on August 4. The intricate scam revolves around a parcel of land in Kandivli that was originally handed over to the BMC by a developer in exchange for additional Floor Space Index (FSI). A developer had constructed 18 residential buildings on the unreserved portion of the land, while the civic body later developed public facilities on the surrendered part.
Despite the legitimate transfer, investigators claim that in 2002, the heirs of the original landowner—Jagdish Bhatt, Suresh Bhatt, Girish Bhatt, Vatsala Joshi, and Malini Dave—fraudulently re-entered their names in the official property records. They allegedly did this by falsely staking inheritance rights, paving the way for subsequent illegal sale transactions.
Financial Scale and Legal Proceedings
The police probe has uncovered staggering financial figures linked to this forgery. It is alleged that a total of Rs 75 crore was received through these illicit property transactions. Furthermore, an additional Rs 4.5 crore was paid for stamp duty and registration fees, amplifying the scale of the fraud.
The arrested accused, Rinkesh Shah, was produced before a court and has been remanded in police custody until Friday to facilitate further investigation. Authorities are examining the roles of all involved parties in the elaborate scheme to usurp the valuable civic land.
Implications and Ongoing Investigation
This case highlights the persistent challenges of land record manipulation and property fraud in Mumbai's lucrative real estate market. The attempt to illegally claim land already dedicated for public use by the BMC represents a serious crime against civic resources. The police are now delving deeper into the money trail and the documentation forgery to identify all co-conspirators. The arrest marks a crucial step in unraveling a scam that attempted to bypass legal frameworks for substantial financial gain.
