Tenants illegally usurp home of senior citizens, threaten to rape pregnant woman

Sushama and Achyut Undalkar with their daughter Prajakta. Pic/MandarTannu

April 20, 2017, is a day the Undalkar family can never forget and one it deeply regrets. That's the day the unsuspecting family handed over the keys to their flat in Kurla to Anil and Vidya Ghodke, who turned out to be tenants from hell. The couple, who allegedly tricked the family into giving them the keys to the flat before signing the agreement, has stopped paying rent since last June and have flatly refused to leave the house.

Achyut, 75, and Sushama Undalkar, 72, own a 380 sq feet ground floor flat in Nightingale Housing Society, Kurla. They have three daughters, one who lives in USA, the other in Thane, and six months pregnant Prajakta Vaidya, a professor, with whom they live in Pune.

Prajakta (on the phone), her cousin and mother were locked in the balcony of their Kurla home

Nightmare begins
"In 2017, after my parents moved in with me, we decided to give our Kurla flat on rent and use the money to pay for the rented house in Pune," Vaidya said. She said, according to current market rates, the value of the house is approximately Rs 1 crore. "Anil and Vidya Ghodke approached me through an online portal. They paid me the Rs 70,000 deposit in cash and said they would pay the rent of Rs 18,000 on the 21st of each month," she said.

Anil and Vidya Ghodke. Pic/Sameer Markande

Biggest mistake
Then, Vaidya said, a temporary lapse of judgement cost the family their peace of mind, money and now, for 11 months, their home. Vaidya said, "We had decided to sign the agreement on April 21, 2017. Suddenly, the Ghodkes said that April 20 was an auspicious day to move into the house and asked for the keys. I did not suspect anything amiss and told them to take the keys from the neighbour with whom we usually keep it."

To the Undalkars's shock, on April 21, the Ghodke's showed their true colours. Vaidya said, "My father and I came all the way from Pune to get the agreement signed, but Anil and Vidya refused to open the door of the house and did not take my calls either. Nevertheless, they paid the rent for three months; the last amount I received was on June 22, 2017."

Nightingale Housing Society on LBS Road Kurla (W)

Locked out
The Undalkars said they have travelled at least five times in the past year to Mumbai to speak to the Ghodkes. "When I went with my mother and cousin to Mumbai in October 2017, Vidya locked us in the balcony of our flat. And, Anil ran away. I frantically called my neighbours and the police. The constables reached the house in 20 minutes and took all of us to Vinobha Bhave Nagar police station. Then, the police called Anil and Vidya and told them to cooperate. They added though that this was a civil matter so they could not interfere."

Things took a dangerous turn in Feb 2018, when Vaidya came down from Pune. "I once again went to the flat to ask the Ghodkes for the rent and to tell them to vacate the flat. But, Anil hurled abuse at me and threatened to rape and kill me. I immediately lodged an FIR against them," said Vaidya. A copy of the FIR dated February 15 is with mid-day.

Go where?
Vaidya said her ageing parents are stressed out by the turn of events. "Despite the Ghodkes's behaviour, they are living happily in our house and denying us entry. If this is a civil matter, where do we go? Are the police waiting for us to be hurt or killed, and then take a criminal case?"

The Undalkars said the rent from the property was their only source of income. "We do not have the money or strength to fight the case in court," said Achyut Undalkar.

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