Maharashtra: Couple running realty firm booked for cheating businessman

Representational picture

A couple running a real estate firm in Thane district of Maharashtra has been booked for allegedly cheating a 71-year-old businessman to the tune of Rs 28.5 crore, police said on Thursday.

The complainant, Vijay Agrawal, who is an aluminium trader in neighbouring Mumbai, said he came in contact with the accused - Sanjay Bhalerao and his wife Pratima Bhalerao - through a common friend in 2011. The accused asked Agrawal to invest in their real estate business by promising lucrative returns, a police spokesperson said.

They allegedly fabricated documents to show Agrawal as the owner of some flats in their venture but later sold those properties, causing a loss of around Rs 28.59 crore to the complainant, she said. Based on the complaint, the couple was booked on Wednesday under various Indian Penal Code sections for cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy, she said. No arrest was made so far, the spokesperson said, adding that a probe was underway.

Top News Stories Of The Day

• Mumbai doctor's suicide: Dr Payal Tadvi thought of suicide in November
• Mumbai doctor's suicide: Bruises on Dr Payal Tadvi's back point to murder, says lawyer
• Mumbai doctor's suicide: How were three accused first to find Dr Payal Tadvi's body, ask cops
• Mumbai doctor suicide: What we know so far about Dr Payal Tadvi's death
• Twitter user trolls IRCTC for vulgar ads on app; their epic reply will leave you in splits
• Twitterati celebrate Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony
• Granddaughter takes 97-year-old woman for first prom; internet in tears
• See Photos: Large rat snake pops out of shopping cart; supermarket employee gets shock of his life
• Mumbai: Doctor in the dock for burning woman's face in Dahisar
• Mumbai: Jewellery goes missing from City Co-Op Bank's safe in Dahisar
• Check CCTV footage, says accused Lemon Salon hairstylist
• SGNP's star Yash who died of cancer was adopted by Aaditya Thackeray
• Mumbai: BMC chief finds way to fix Hindmata issue
• Will Maharashtra grab all its berths in Modi Cabinet?
• 'The Coastal Road is not only about South Mumbai'
• Explosion of CNG tank led to BEST bus fire near Gokhuldham market, Goregaon
• CSMT bridge collapse: Cops still await BMC sanction to file charge sheet against civic officials
• Amruta Fadnavis brings the house down with rocking performance in USA
• These photos of Narendra Modi will give you major travel goals!
• Love again! These famous people got married more than once
• Differently abled delivery man gets new E-vehicle, Twitter celebrates

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates