Mumbai: Female advocate files case against Lodhas for cheating

Mangalprabhat Lodha

Member of Legislative Assembly, Mangalprabhat Lodha, along with his son Abhishek, who is the CEO of their company, have been booked for allegedly cheating and extorting money from a 54-year-old advocate from Pune. The complainant, an advocate, had purchased a flat in 2013 and was reportedly told he would get possession by 2019. But that never happened. The FIR has been filed at Chatushrungi Police Station. Lodha has clarified, saying that "the woman was a wilful defaulter and is trying to tarnish his image".

According to a statement given by Complainant to Chatushrungi Police Station, she had booked a 3BHK flat at Lodha Marquise, Worli, in January 2013. The promoters said that the project will be completed by 2019. The complainant paid Rs 3.92 crore, and afterwards received a notice in 2015, which terminated her registration. When the complainant contacted Chief Executive officer Surendran Nair, he asked her to ignore the notice.

"I was repeatedly asking Mangalprabhat Lodha and Abhishek Lodha, chairman of Jwala Real Estate Private Ltd (Microtech Developers Ltd) and Nair to allow me to visit the building. But instead, they asked me to pay Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1.67 crore more. In March 2016, I met Lodha and asked him why I had to pay more money. I was told that the flat price had been revised and I had to pay Rs 4.15 crore to get the possession," the complainant told the police.

"They repeatedly told me that, I would lose the flat if I didn't pay the money. Finally, I went to court which directed Chatushrungi police to file an FIR in the matter," added the complainant. "Chatushrungi police has filed an FIR under IPC section IPC 120B (criminal conspiracy), 384 (extortion), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention)," said an officer from the police station.

When contacted, Mangalprabhat Lodha said that the complainant was a wilful defaulter, who had not made payment of her dues for many years and is thereafter liable to pay applicable penalty as per RERA. "We have informed her that that she can either pay the balance amount with penalty as per law/agreement and take the flat, or cancellation will follow as per terms of agreement. We will file a defamation case and appeal for quashing this illegally obtained order". Lodha also clarified that he was never a director at Macrotech Developers LTD.