MUMBAI: The city police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered a case against two directors of a construction company for allegedly taking money from flat buyers, promising to deliver the flats by Dec 2023, but failing to keep the promise. The police have received complaints from 74 flat buyers who are said to have paid a total of Rs 66.8 crore to the accused.
An EOW officer said that a flat buyer, residing in Mahim, lodged an FIR on Wednesday on behalf of the flat buyers’ association. The complainant had also booked a flat in the project located at Sion Koliwada near Antop Hill. The police said that the two directors of Zeus Housing and Construction Pvt Ltd took money from flat buyers with assurances of constructing a 44-storey tower.
“The accused constructed the SRA project and handed over the flats. They took money from flat buyers for the saleable building but did not complete its construction. Only a few floors have been constructed, and the work has since stopped,” the police said. The crime occurred between Jan 2008 and June 2023. “The accused persons had the flat buyers’ agreements registered and assured them of handing over the flats. However, no one has received their flat. The flat buyers formed an association and approached the police,” the officer added.
The complainant had paid over Rs 2.7 crore to the accused for the flat, the police said. The police are collecting more details about the case. The EOW had earlier received an application, and a preliminary enquiry (PE) was conducted. On Wednesday, an FIR was registered at the Antop Hill police station, and the investigation was transferred to the EOW.
The police have filed an FIR against the accused for criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property under IPC. Sections of the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act have also been invoked against the accused.
