Businessman arrested, BMC assistant commissioner booked for duping actor Javed Jaffrey’s wife Habiba

BMC Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Patil had been sent on compulsory leave for a month last year over allegations of “improper investment” in the same Bandra project.

jaaved jaaferiPolice said forged government registration documents were allegedly prepared and presented as genuine to induce investments from Habiba, her husband Javed Jaffrey, relatives including Naved Jaffrey, and others. (Photo: Instagram/Javed Jaffrey)

The Mumbai police Thursday arrested businessman Nishit Patel and named BMC Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Patil as an accused in a Rs 16-crore cheating case filed by Bollywood actor Javed Jaffrey’s wife, Habiba.

Patel was produced before a court and remanded to police custody till May 19.

“While Patel has been arrested, we are on the lookout for the other accused, including Patil,” a police officer said, adding that investigators are probing whether other influential persons had also invested money in the Bandra project promoted by the accused.

Incidentally, Patil had been sent on compulsory leave for a month in November last year over allegations of “improper investment” in the same Bandra project, charges he had denied at the time.

The police said a First Information Report (FIR) was initially registered at the Khar police station before the probe was transferred to the Crime Branch.

According to Habiba’s complaint, she met Patil at the BMC office, after which he allegedly informed her about a lucrative investment opportunity linked to a Bandra redevelopment project and advised her to route investments through Patel.

The complaint alleged that fake government registration documents were prepared and projected as genuine to induce investments from Javed Jaffrey, relatives, including Naved Jaffrey, and others.

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The accused allegedly collected approximately Rs 16.24 crore through cheques, cash, foreign currency, and luxury watches before cheating the investors.

After realising she had been duped, Habiba approached the Khar police earlier this month, following which the FIR was registered.

Besides Patil and Patel, several of their associates have also been named in the FIR.

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