Pune: Young Man Arrested for Cheating 600 People of Over Rs 22 Lakh with Fake MHADA Housing Scam
Pimpri, 28th January 2025: A 25-year-old man, formerly employed as a contract worker in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s water supply department, has been arrested for defrauding 600 people of a total of Rs 22,41,760.
The accused, identified as Prateek Rajesh Dhaije, allegedly promised the victims flats under the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) scheme and collected money from them on false pretenses.
According to police, Dhaije, a resident of Bhosari, used his position as a contract worker to gain the trust of the citizens. He informed people that he could secure them flats in the MHADA scheme. Dhaije charged each victim Rs 15,000 for an application fee and later convinced them to pay an additional Rs 2 lakh once they received their MHADA flats.
The accused went as far as creating a fake MHADA letterhead, which he used to prepare fraudulent documents that mimicked those of senior MHADA officials. Dhaije further deceived the victims by providing them with fabricated reasons for delays, such as “upcoming MHADA lottery draws” and “finalizing the list,” convincing them that their names were assured to be included.
The scam came to light when a victim filed a complaint at the Bhosari police station, which prompted an investigation by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch Unit 1. Senior Police Inspector Suhas Awhad, who was overseeing the investigation, gathered evidence and subsequently arrested Dhaije.
During interrogation, Dhaije confessed to his involvement in the fraud, admitting that he had misled the citizens and taken money under the guise of securing MHADA houses. The police are continuing their investigation to determine if there are more victims and any additional accomplices.
Bhosari police have registered a case, and further proceedings are underway.
