The home of cards scam’s mastermind, Prashant Patil, along with his gang is said to have put up over 350 fraudulent residences in Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara, according to the officials, who obtained data taken from a two-terabyte hard drive containing information on numerous of illegal properties.
After analysing the hard drive, the Virar police uncovered about 80 files on properties that the accused set up using falsified paperwork and false completion certificates (CC).
The police consider that scammers are ultimately to blame for the unbelievable 350 unlawful constructions that have appeared in Vasai and Virar as they would put up two or three buildings with a single CC through the use of fictitious documents.
The Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commanded that a single FIR be filed in each of the relevant police stations, and to have the case be cooperatively investigated.
The accused allegedly used altered documentation to set up 55 residential societies in the region administered by the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) in order to sell flats to 3,500 families, according to the preliminary investigation into the whole thing.
As stated by reports, the electronic device turned out to have over 20 thousand folders. The police have estimated that the fraud may have gone for up to Rs 9,000 crore.
More than 350 buildings around Vasai-Vihar
“A 2TB hard drive was taken from the gang during the raid”, according to Suhash Bawche, DCP.
“We duplicated the data and delivered the original copy for examination to the Kalina Forensic Laboratory. We discovered that the accused utilised a single fictitious commencement certificate and a set of fabricated documents to build two to three buildings. We believe the accused built more than 350 properties around Vasai-Virar”, he added.
The VVCMC has so far confirmed that 35 of the first 55 constructions discovered are definitely unlawful and has notified neighbourhood police stations to file FIRs.
A police source stated, “Since 2012, Patil and his crew have been operating the scam. within the frozen hard drive. More than 20,000 folders were discovered. Building files were discovered in some, while phoney credit cards and counterfeit paperwork were uncovered in others. The accused fabricated the letterheads of two advocates for CC and agreements, as well as the signatures of around ten architects, the police discovered.”
Investigation into the scam is underway
“We instructed officials to come to the police station to record their statements, and we also submitted all the case-related documents to MahaRERA for their information. Senior-level officials’ statements need to be recorded”, the police source continued.
“We came here to gather information about the case to send to our superiors”, a MahaRERA officer who arrived at the police station said.
“We called the MahaRERA authorities for the investigation, and two clerk-level officials showed up at the Virar police station”, according to senior inspector Rajendra Kamble of the Virar police station.
“We questioned them about the registration process for projects as well as how they approved these 55 illegal structures. They informed us that they received files via their internet portal, reviewed them all, and granted authorization after reviewing them. They granted approval without consulting any local corporation about the documentation.
“In relation to the scam, Maha RERA officials went to the Virar police station on Friday morning to report it. The Virar police questioned those in authority about how these societies were given authorization. The latter said that no documents were verified by them.