Nearly 4,000 families trusted the MahaRERA approval to the 55 buildings in Vasai Virar, now found to be illegal, to buy their dream home with their life’s savings. Now, the regulator, which doesn’t verify documents before giving nod to builders, has begun the process of cancelling their registrations.

Even a police officer wondered how Gotmare managed to get a job at VVCMC again. Sources at Virar police said Gotmare and 33 co-accused have been charge-sheeted for acquiring fake Commencement Certificates (CCs) and Occupancy Certificates (OCs), based on which the accused had constructed 20 buildings. “There were 832 flats and 56 shops in these illegal buildings. We had filed an FIR under various Sections of Indian Penal Code and under the MRTP Act, and arrested and charge-sheeted them in the case. The senior clerk, Gotmare, who lives in Phoolpada at Virar East, was arrested on August 5, 2016, and remained in Virar police custody for seven days before he was sent to judicial remand,” said an officer posted to Virar police station.