Mumbai: Investigation turns to bank officials, crackdown soon

The Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar MBVV police investigating the multicrore house of cards scam are poised to crack down on banking officials involved in facilitating loans to home buyers for kickbacks Recently the Virar police stationrsquos investigating team summoned several banking officials and recorded their statements to verify compliance with Standard Operating Procedures SOPsAuthorities warned of imminent arrests for banking officials found guilty of granting loans to ineligible home buyers The investigators believe that the bogus builders created fake salary slips and fabricated three yearsrsquo worth of income tax returns to secure loans prompting a thorough scrutiny of all relevant filesThe alleged illegal building in Virar PicsHanif PatelSenior Inspector Rajendra Kamble said ldquoWersquove questioned seven banking officials regarding SOP adherence some officials have said that they have adhered as per Reserve Bank of India guidelines Some officials claimed compliance with their own SOPs So we have requested them to submit these for our investigationrdquoKamble added ldquoIf found guilty banking officials could face arrest in the 17 FIRs related to bogus CCs or OCs Our investigation remains active and multiple arrests have already been maderdquoThe accused Prashant Patil Rajesh Naik Dilip BenbanshiThe investigating team accused civic officials of delaying responses to police queries hindering progress in the investigationIn the previous reports midday exposed the construction of residential complexes by a gang of bogus builders on government lands unnoticed by Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation VVCMC officialsAlso read Mumbai Someonersquos stealing our customers with false claims says AirtelVirar police registered an FIR on July 23 leading to the arrest of mastermind Prashant Patil and his associates on August 1 During the investigation authorities seized 1100 fake VVCMC letterheads 115 fake stamps 500 fabricated CIDCO letters and 55 counterfeit CC files across 13 banks and finance companiesA comprehensive 3500page charge sheet has recently been filed listing Prashant Patil Dilip Benbanshi Macchindra Vahanmane Rajesh Naik Pramod Zore and Devendra Manjhi as main suspects Patil and Benbanshi were linked to fraudulent construction in Rudransh Apartment Virar East using fake government documentsSources in the police department revealed bogus buildersrsquo partnerships with commissionbased agents facilitating loans through housing finance banks and patpedhis using customersrsquo documents collected from the formerrsquos officeThe officer involved in the investigation highlighted the oversight of banking officials saying ldquoHad they properly scanned the documents these loans wouldnrsquot have been grantedrdquoA senior police officer emphasised ldquoIt was all in connivance with corrupt civic officials who held key posts when bogus builders illegally grabbed lands constructing buildings with fake Commencement Certificates CCs luring home buyers to invest their savingsrdquoRegarding evidence an officer involved in the investigation said ldquoWe seized a computer and laptop from the accused sent them to a forensic lab for imaging and forwarded a copy to VVCMC However the civic officials are delaying responsesrdquoHighlighting the need for further investigation the officer said ldquoNumerous fake letterheads from MahaRERA collector offices of Thane Palghar etc indicate the need for a supplementary charge sheet The delay from the civic body is obstructing our progressrdquoAfter the case came to light in July VVCMC formed a 10member inquiry committee but failed to make headway One officer questioned ldquoDid the officials question their former superiors involved in the illegitimate constructionrdquoUpon inquiry VVCMCrsquos Additional Municipal Commissioner Ajinkya Bagade redirected queries to other officials saying ldquoI am not authorised to provide information Contact Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kishore Gawas or Additional Municipal Commissioner Ramesh ManalerdquoHowever these officials were unavailable for commentsJuly 23Day FIR was filed in the matter