Vasai-Virar housing scam: The big red flag that VVMC officials kept ignoring

Chandu Patil, who had warned officials, has been arrested in the scam instead. Pic/Hanif Patel

Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) officials are on a case-registering spree in the multi-crore housing scam. But a recent FIR registered at Valiv police station, actually names a person who raised a red flag about the illegal constructions in July 2019.

mid-day has been relentlessly highlighting the multi-crore house of cards scam in the Vasai-Virar area. On August 19, a civic official registered an FIR at Valiv police station against six people for forging documents, using fake Commencement Certificates (CC), etc. to construct buildings on Collector's land (given to tribals) in Vasai, and fraudulently acquiring a RERA number to sell flats in them to buyers and violating the Registration Act.

VVCMC officials, since 2016, have registered five FIRs over the same piece of land, survey number 127/1/A and 127/3 measuring 4,000 sq metres approximately, which belongs to the district Collector. Yet, the bogus builders constructed six residential buildings on the land and civic officials did not demolish the structures. Subsequently, the flats were sold to buyers - who are now worried about the future of their homes.

Puja Apartment, Super/Mogra Apartment, Awadh Apartment, Sunshine Apartment, Lily Apartment and Mahesh Apartment are the illegal buildings constructed in Vasai. Pic/Hanif Patel

The bogus builders constructed the buildings by making fake non-agricultural orders for the land, from the Thane Collector office. "The bogus builders had constructed six buildings namely Puja Apartment, Super/Mogra Apartment, Awadh Apartment, Sunshine Apartment, Lily Apartment and Mahesh Apartment on the tribal land which is spread over 4,000 sq m," said Patil. "Not a single brick would have been placed on the land, had the VVCMC officials really been vigilant and honest. Will the civic officials reply what were they doing when the buildings were constructed?" asked Patil.

Patil was made an accused in the first and fifth FIRs registered by the VVCMC officials at Valiv police station. "The VVCMC framed me in May 2016 under Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. Subsequently, I was arrested in December 2017 by Valiv police. I was wrongly presented as an owner of the land, which is Collector's land, where the unauthorised buildings were constructed and flats were sold," said Patil. "So after coming out of jail on January 31, 2018, I dug out details to know who are actually involved in these unauthorised constructions on tribal land, for which I was made a scapegoat," he added.

"Since all the flats in these unauthorised building had separate electricity metres, I filed an RTI on July 16, 2019 to know what all documents MSEDCL had sought for them. I was shocked to see the RTI reply from MSEDCL, as the fraudsters had used my forged credentials including my photographs and signature to get power meters for the flats," he added.

"These builders had used fake documents of my credentials for which I was placed under arrest. I gave a three-page complaint about these buildings to Valiv police on August 25, 2019. In my complaint, I had categorically written that fake documents of my credentials including photographs and signatures have been used by the bogus builders. But the Valiv police did not take any action against the scammers. Exactly after four years, when VVCMC approached cops with the complaint, the same police booked me again in 2023," lamented Patil, who is wondering how to get out of the messy situation.

‘Also complained in 2021'

Patil had also written a 14-page letter to the VVCMC commissioner, Town Planner, ward officials and MSEDCL on June 5, 2021, and given crucial details on how the illegal buildings were constructed on the tribal land, who constructed them, how duplicate CCs were made, duplicate non-agriculture (N/A) orders from Thane Collector office were made to get a RERA number, how the bank loans were granted, etc. "I had also sent them multiple reminders, but all the officials were silent and did nothing to help me. Today, I have been framed again by the VVCMC whose officials have my complaints and reminders sent to them. The officials of eight banks were also involved in granting loans to the home buyers," Patil claimed.

‘Back to square one'

"On July 19, 2021, I filed an RTI application to VVCMC to know what actions have been taken against the six buildings on my complaint dated June 7, 2021, related to survey number 127/1/A and 127/3. In reply the VVCMC's deputy town planner YS Reddy said ‘We have issued a notice under sections of MRTP Act and filed an FIR'. And this FIR is against me. I am back to square one!" said Patil.

He also complained to the Thane Collector office, on May 23, 2022, about the duplicate N/A order, ‘but my complaint has not been considered till date,' he said. "The scammers had also forged 7/12 details of the tribal land. So I had also written a letter to the Talathi office on June 06, 2022. But I received no relief from this office too," he added.

In February 2022, Patil sent a complaint to the Registrar office, Vasai. "I had requested the registration be made invalid as bogus CCs and other documents were used by the builders. In response, the Sub-Registrar VS Bhosale had written a letter on March 14 to VVCMC requesting the concerned officials to verify my allegations and file an FIR at a local police station, as the CCs are issued by the civic body and if they (CC) are fake, then municipal corporation is bound to register an FIR. But despite receiving a letter from the Registrar Office, the VVCMC officials did not bother to verify the facts and register an FIR against the accused. The civic chief is aware of the correspondence, yet no action was taken. So the intentions of VVCMC officials are questionable," he added.

‘Will contact the PMO'

"After the multi-crore house of cards scam surfaced in Vasai-Virar, the Municipal Commissioner, Anilkumar Pawar, constituted a 10-member enquiry committee to probe the whole episode. My complaints were sent to all these officials in the past. Why did they not investigate at that time? Were they sleeping when the unauthorised buildings were brazenly constructed with bogus CCs and forged documents? I will request the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to look into the issue of Vasai Virar where the civic officials have been misusing their powers to falsely implicate innocent people whose genuine complaints are not heard. There is total anarchy in the VVCMC office. The bank accounts of all the civic officials and their close relatives must be scrutinised to actually evaluate the scale of this multi-crore scam. The CBI must take over the case and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials must intervene," Patil said.

"I have written complaints to VVCMC officials to find what action they have taken against the six unauthorised buildings constructed on the tribal land in Valiv. I have been falsely booked because the bogus builders have forged my credentials. But the civic officials are doing nothing. Tell me, where should I go now?" added Patil, who has been residing at an undisclosed location to evade arrest.

Calls and messages to VVCMC Commissioner Pawar went unanswered. A senior police officer of Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police said, "Investigations are underway. We are scanning all the old files related to these FIRs. He (Chandu Patil) is a co-accused in these FIRs. We will also check if he has complained to police in past. In case he has not till date, he can go to the nearest police station and complain if his credentials have been fraudulently used by the scammers."