Builder arrested for fraud in Ahmedabad

According to police, the accused builder had sold a flat to a victim for Rs 1.4 crore in 2019. He then submitted fraudulent signature of the victim and cancelled the booking after receiving money and did not give possession of the flat.

Three mobile phones, including the one used in the incident, have been recovered from the accused. (File)

The Ahmedabad Police’s Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) arrested a builder for allegedly duping customers with fraudulent apartment scheme in the city.

The accused builder Saurin Panchal, a resident of Navrangpura in Ahmedabad, was arrested from Double Tree Hilton Hotel in the city on Wednesday, police said.

Panchal, the director of Aptus Infraprojects Limited, got constructed ‘Element Shanav’ 3BHK housing society at Ambawadi in Ahmedabad.

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According to police, the accused builder had sold one of the flats at ‘Element Shanav’ society to a victim for Rs 1.4 crore in 2019.

“The victim Shirishbhai Shah had booked one flat in ‘Element Shanav’ in 2019 and had paid Rs 1.4 crore to the builder group. The accused submitted fraudulent signature of the victim and cancelled the booking after receiving money and did not give possession of the flat,” said a senior DCB official.

The official further said that an FIR in this regard was lodged at the DCB Police Station on May 14 this year against Panchal and others of his company for fraud and forgery.

“Another FIR has been lodged against Saurin at Ellis Bridge Police Station by another victim, who has also alleged that she was duped of money but not given possession of the flat. Currently, the builder has two residential societies running in Ahmedabad. Based on technical input, we have arrested the accused,” he added.

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