THANE: Authorities have detained the director of a real estate firm for allegedly scamming buyers out of several crores by selling apartments built with fake permits in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials reported on Monday.
Umrao Singh Prithviraj Ostwal, the director of Ostwal Builders Pvt Ltd, is charged with creating counterfeit construction permits and plans, which he presented as authentic documents, according to a release from the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police.
Using these falsified approvals, he is said to have constructed extra units beyond the authorized limits in the Ostwal Paradise Building No. 6 in the Mira Bhayander area, selling them to unsuspecting buyers and defrauding them of significant sums, the release noted.
A complaint was filed on May 16 this year at Nayanagar Police Station under several legal provisions for cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and conspiracy, the statement revealed.
The investigation, spearheaded by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), pointed to Ostwal’s direct involvement in these deceptive actions, police stated.
When crime branch officials attempted to apprehend Ostwal at his residence in the Mira Bhayander area on Saturday, he tried to flee but was caught after a short pursuit and later handed over to the EOW, the release explained.
Further investigations uncovered that 13 criminal cases have been filed against him at various police stations, including those in Navghar, Mira Road, Nayanagar, and Kashimira in Thane. Authorities have urged the public to verify all construction permits and approvals before making property purchases.
