Pune Trader Loses ₹46 Lakh In Fake Land Deal

A grocery trader from Pune has been cheated of ₹46 lakh by four individuals who executed a fraudulent land sale deed using a woman posing as the original landowner. The trader, Javed Mohammad Rafiq Bagwan, had invested in a joint land investment deal with one of the accused, Imtiyaz Ghulam Hussain Khan.

The deal involved the purchase of a four-guntha plot near Bollywood Theatre in Wadgaon Sheri for ₹86 lakh. Bagwan was to invest ₹50 lakh and receive a two-guntha share in the land. He paid ₹35 lakh initially and another ₹15 lakh for stamp duty and legal expenses.

A sale deed was executed at the Haveli-Wagholi Sub-Registrar's Office on February 11, 2020, where a woman claiming to be the landowner, Catherine Clarette, appeared for the registration. However, the fraud came to light on January 25, 2024, when Bagwan visited the property and found it in the possession of two other individuals who claimed to be its owners.

The accused had allegedly arranged for an unidentified woman to impersonate Catherine during the execution of the sale deed. A fake bank account had also been opened in Catherine's name, into which Bagwan's payment was deposited. The money was later transferred to the bank account of Zainab Khan, the wife of accused Imtiyaz Khan.

The Chandan Nagar Police have registered a case against four persons, including Imtiyaz Ghulam Hussain Khan, Yogiraj Dhamdhere, Nitin Pandharinath Dhamdhere, and an unidentified woman. The case involves cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and other relevant offences.

The investigation is underway, and the police are looking into the details of the fake land deal. The incident highlights the importance of verifying the authenticity of land documents and the identities of the parties involved in a land transaction.

In recent years, there have been several cases of land fraud in Pune, where unsuspecting buyers have been cheated of large sums of money. The police have been cracking down on such cases, and the registration of this case is a step in the right direction.

The incident also serves as a warning to potential buyers to be cautious when investing in land deals. It is essential to conduct thorough research and verify the authenticity of the documents and the parties involved before making any payments.

The police are urging anyone with information about the case to come forward and assist in the investigation. The case is a reminder of the need for vigilance and caution when dealing with land transactions in Pune.