No action against fraud agents

Although an FIR was filed nine months ago, the Kherwadi police department has not acted against the agents, who are often seen outside the station

It's been over nine months since the Kherwadi police registered an FIR against 17 property agents and 324 winner applicants for allegedly cheating MHADA and taking over 425 flats in the lottery by submitting fake documents.

Till date, however, no concrete action has been taken against the accused. Confirming the same, MHADA Vice President Satish Gavai said, "After investigating the matter, MHADA's vigilance department submitted a list of property agents involved in the 2011 housing lottery scam on February 22. We have not received any feedback from the police.

The vigilance department also wrote a letter to the Kherwadi police station regarding the same." Sources from MHADA requesting anonymity stated that the agents whose names had been registered in the FIR are frequently spotted outside the MHADA office at Bandra East.

All the 425 applicants were asked by MHADA to appear before the inquiry committee set up by the apex body but only 102 of them appeared before the inquiry committee and the remaining applicants said that agents to fill the forms used their addresses. The case has been registered under Section 420 of cheating the housing authority and is a non-bailable offence.