Days after SIT formed in Surat realty fraud Similar case, common links: Police nab 2 as another builder files cheating complaint

Limbasiya’s complaint names Anjani alias Guddu Poddar, Madhusudan Darak, Gaurav Saluja, Dhirubhai Hirpara and his son Shreyas Hirpara, and Rajnibhai Kabariya.

Poddar, Dhirubhai and Kabariya were also named in a similar complaint filed by another Surat builder Ashwin Chovatiya. Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Tomar had formed an SIT to probe the case in which Paresh Vadodariya, Jayenti Babariya (Iklera) and Jignesh Sakhiya have also been named.

According to Limbasiya’s complaint lodged at the Surat city crime branch, the accused had purchased 51 flats and seven shops worth Rs 42.12 crore in the three projects. While 31 flats worth Rs 31.37 crore in Emporious Galaxy was sold to Hirpara and his son Shreyas on August 7, 2020, 20 flats and seven shops worth Rs 10.75 crore in Utsav Residency and Angan Residency were sold to Poddar and others named in October the same year through land broker Kabariya. It was agreed that the total payment would be made in 12 months.
However, the accused have paid only Rs 9.50 crore so far and have defaulted on the rest of the payments worth Rs 32.61 crore, despite selling all the purchased flats and shops, the complainant claimed. While the Hirparas paid Rs 8.90 crore in installments between August 7, 2020 and January 1, 2021, Poddar and others have paid Rs 60 lakh until January 22, 2021, for the property purchases.

The police have registered a case under 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) against the accused and arrested two. “We have arrested Madhusudan Darak and Gaurav Shaluja and are questioning them to find out more details. Our teams are on the hunt for the remaining accused,” said Surat city crime branch police inspector LD Vaghadiya.

The SIT, meanwhile, Friday raided three premises of Poddar, Babariya and Sakhiya in Surat. “In Chovatiya’s complaint, we have started investigations and carried out raids at the house of Guddu Poddar and the offices of Jignesh Sakhiya and Jayenti Babariya. They have gone underground. Nothing was seized in these raids,” said Vaghadiya