Realtor arrested for involvement in duping 242 homebuyers of ₹89 crores

Realtor Arrested for Fraudulent Scheme Involving 242 Homebuyers and ₹89 Crores

Realtor arrested for involvement in duping 242 – A 33-year-old real estate agent was apprehended on Sunday for allegedly deceiving 242 property purchasers out of approximately ₹89 crore through a housing society project on Golf Course Road in Sector 55, according to police statements released on Wednesday. The suspect had been evading authorities for over a year before his capture at Delhi’s IGI Airport while attempting to flee the country.

Background of the Scam

The accused, Anubhav, resides in Mohan Garden, Delhi. Police claimed he was heading to Indonesia on Sunday night when airport officials notified the Gurugram Police’s economic offences wing (EOW) due to a warrant issued for his arrest. Anubhav was later produced in court and placed under two-day police custody for further questioning.

“The case was initially linked to his father, and police allege he took over operations by falsifying documents and signing an MoU with another firm to sell contested flats,” stated advocate Vedpal Yadav, Anubhav’s legal representative. He added that Anubhav was unaware of the firm’s activities while studying abroad until 2016, when his father managed the real estate venture.”

Sandeep Turan, a public relations officer for Gurugram, revealed that Anubhav’s father and five others initiated a residential project named Sunhera Apna Ghar Society in 2008 on a plot spanning one acre near Golf Course Road in Sector 55. While 94 units were completed, the group collected funds from 242 buyers up to 2014.

In April 2017, a complaint was filed by several investors, leading to an FIR under cheating and forgery at Sector-56 police station. EOW officials noted that five suspects, including Anubhav’s father, were arrested in the case. However, the father passed away in a road accident on January 26, 2019, after which Anubhav allegedly assumed control and forged project documents.

“Post his father’s death, Anubhav began redirecting investors’ funds and lured more victims using the MoU on a partially built site after 2020,” an EOW official explained. “Despite seeking interim relief from courts, the Supreme Court denied his bail on February 10 last year due to non-cooperation in the investigation. He fled to Indonesia the day before his arrest.”

A senior police officer mentioned that Anubhav returned to India via Nepal five months ago. “He frequently changed locations, eventually leading to his arrest on Sunday. We are now tracing the financial transactions to recover the illicit gains and return the investments to affected buyers,” the officer added.

Babulal Datick, one of the investors, highlighted that many homebuyers continue to make monthly loan payments over a decade, indicating the prolonged impact of the fraudulent scheme.