Mid-Day Impact: Khar land shark booked, woman hopes to get home back

Marietta Fernandes’s multi-crore bungalow at Chuim Village, Khar

Nearly two and a half months after mid-day exposed how the land mafia had gobbled up the multi-crore bungalow of a woman in Khar, the police have registered an FIR against the land shark and his accomplice. The accused took over the property in Chuim Village when Marietta Fernandes, 54, was in Thane mental hospital. On her return, this newspaper's reports had helped her file a police complaint.

On Monday, the Khar police booked the alleged land shark, Clarence Pereira, 61, and Nilima Deshmukh for stealing the property papers and valuables worth Rs 20 lakh from the bungalow, land grabbing, trespassing, threatening and assaulting Fernandes. The complainant, who has been living with a distant relative named Elvy Pereira, is now waiting to get back her bungalow. As per the FIR, mid-day has a copy, the property - opposite Ahmed Bakery at Khar Danda - was usurped between May 22, 2021, and January 31, 2022.

Clarence Pereira is also accused of assaulting Marietta Fernandes

Fernandes told mid-day, "My sister Malaki Dipena lives in Canada and brother Andrew Fernandes is in Dubai. I was living with my mother Yvonne Fernandes at the Khar bungalow. On March 26, 2020, my mother died following which I slipped into depression. I didn't inform anyone about her death and stayed with her body for 6-7 months." She said police recovered the body on November 20 and sent her to the Thane mental hospital a week later.

"During my stay at Thane mental hospital, Clarence Anthony Pereira came there on April 29, 2021, and told the authorities that he is my uncle. He gave false information to the hospital and got me discharged. He kept me in room number 205 at TDR building, Bahar Signal Pasiwada, Andheri West, with his friend Nilima Deshmukh and daughter Richelle Pereira," said Fernandes.

She said, "On May 22, 2021, Clarence Pereira took me to the Khar police station and gave fake promises that he would get back my sealed bungalow from the police. He wrote a letter and took my signature on it and submitted it to the Khar police station." Fernandes said the cops gave the bungalow keys to Pereira, who kept them with him saying he would get the property cleaned. "Later, he along with Nilima Deshmukh stole my TV, refrigerator, gold and other valuables worth R20 lakh and the property documents," she said.

Marietta Fernandes's family home at Chuim Village, Khar. File pic

The complainant said, "Pereira beat me up and told me that he had purchased the bungalow. He kept me in the rented house with Nilima till the agreement expired on September 16. He kept me at the Ambarnath home of Nilima's sister Naina for 3 days. I was then taken to his cousin brother's wife Elvy Pereira, a resident at Sahar Village at Vile Parle."

Fernandes said the accused took her to a hotel in Andheri and made her sign a paper to apply for a water connection for the bungalow. "I refused to sign it but they threatened to kill me. I got scared and signed on the paper. They took me in an auto to Irla in Vile Parle West and tried to throw me out of the running auto. I escaped and went to Elvy aunty who allowed me to stay with her."

Fernandes said Pereira didn't take court permission while seeking her discharge from the Thane mental hospital. "Today, the police registered an FIR after mid-day carried a series of reports. I am really thankful to mid-day for helping me in my fight for justice. I'm waiting to get my bungalow back. I have fond memories of my mother there and my family is attached to it. The accused should be behind bars," she said.

Fernandes's brother Andrew said, "Thanks to the support of all that have assisted to get the FIR registered." Senior Inspector Mohan Mane of Khar police station said, "Accused Clarence Pereira and co-accused Nilima Deshmukh are involved in the multi-crore bungalow-grabbing case at Khar Danda. We have started our investigation. We have not arrested anyone as yet."