A 51-year-old technician from Nalasopara has allegedly lost Rs 29.5 lakh in a housing fraud after being promised a MHADA flat in Dadar, a deal that ultimately left him without either a home or his savings.
The Bhoiwada police have registered a cheating case against Anil Arun Mane (35), a real estate agent residing in MHADA Colony, Kalachowki, following a complaint filed by Pramod Patil.
Patil, who works for a private company in Rabale, had been struggling with a daily three-hour commute from Nalasopara. Seeking a residence closer to his workplace, he sold his existing flat in 2024 and began searching for a new home.
According to the complaint, Patil was introduced to Mane through a mutual contact. The agent allegedly offered him a MHADA flat in Bombay Dyeing Mill Colony, Dadar East, for Rs 42.5 lakh. After inspecting the property, Patil agreed to the deal and paid Rs 25,000 as a token amount, followed by Rs 19.75 lakh. A notarised agreement was reportedly executed in the name of his wife, Reshma.
Patil claimed Mane assured him that possession would be handed over within three months or the entire amount would be refunded with interest. However, the flat was never transferred, and Mane later informed him that the property was no longer available.
Subsequently, Mane allegedly showed Patil another property in the same locality. In August 2025, Patil paid an additional Rs 9.5 lakh towards the new flat. Despite the payment, neither possession nor ownership documents were provided.
“The fraud has left my family’s finances in distress. Having sold my original flat to fund the purchase, I now live with my wife and two daughters in a rented home in Nalasopara. We are hoping to recover the money through the police investigation and court proceedings,” Patil said.
Police officials said notices will be issued to Mane, directing him to cooperate with the investigation. Authorities also revealed that a similar cheating case had previously been registered against him at RAK Marg police station and remains pending before a court.
Investigators are examining the matter further and have indicated that arrest action may follow based on the findings of the probe.
Source: Mid-day
