Pune flat fraud: Developer apologises to PM, CM for misusing their names

The Maple Group here on Thursday tendered its "sincere and deepest apologies" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Pune Guardian Minister Girish Bapat for creating wrong perceptions through advertisements for cheap homes

Pune: The Maple Group here on Thursday tendered its "sincere and deepest apologies" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Pune Guardian Minister Girish Bapat for creating wrong perceptions through advertisements for cheap homes.

"We express sincere and deepest apologies for any harm/inconvenience, caused to them due to the wrong perception caused by the advertisement. If there are some inadvertent mistakes, we are willing to take necessary corrective action," group CMD Sachin Agarwal said in a statement.

The advertisement published by Pune-based Maple Shelters on April 14 announcing the launch of the project  

Agarwal added that the company has started refunding the application money against receipts from their head office, the amount of Rs.1150 which earlier treated as non-refundable.

The group would also issue appropriate media advertisements and clarifications to reconfirm that its projects are self-developed but the benefits of the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme, available to beneficiaries under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY), can be available direct from financial institutions.

The development came four days after the PMAY and the Maharashtra government ordered a probe into the claims made by Maple Group offering one-bedroom-hall-kitchen (1BHK) for only Rs.500,000.

The ads carrying pictures of Modi, Fadnavis and Bapat conveyed an impression that it was a government-sponsored scheme under PMAY, though in a cleverly-worded disclaimer, the Group said "it's a Maple Shelters initiative aligned to the PMAY and not a government scheme".

The allotment of 10,000 flats at 14 locations in and around Pune - by a lottery system - was expected to take place on "Maharashtra Housing Day" on May 1.

"Maple Group regrets the confusion caused regarding Maharashtra Housing Day, we will refund the application fees," Agarwal said, adding the company would fully cooperate with the authorities in their probe but remained passionate about providing affordable homes to the masses.

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