Pune: Businessman Duped of ₹26 Lakh in Real Estate Fraud; Police Register Case After Court’s Intervention

A female real estate agent allegedly defrauded a businessman of Rs 26 lakh under the pretext of providing a flat available at a bank auction at a discounted rate. When the victim approached the police to file a complaint, they allegedly refused to register it, forcing him to seek a court order mandating the police to take action.

Shivraj Haider Rasheer Ali Rizvi, 44, a resident of Wanwadi, has lodged a complaint at Wanwadi Police Station. Based on his complaint, the police have now registered a case against the accused, Nigar Malik Shaikh, and her daughter, Alisha Shaikh, both residents of Bramha Angan Society in Kondhwa. 

According to police information, the complainant, a businessman, was acquainted with Nigar Shaikh as she frequently visited his shop. She introduced herself as a real estate agent and informed him about a flat seized by a bank that was available at a cheap rate through auction. The accused arranged a visit to the property, and the complainant, satisfied with the flat, decided to invest. Nigar Shaikh quoted the flat at Rs 50 lakh and initially took Rs 5 lakh from him for processing the documents. Over time, she collected a total of Rs 50 lakh in cash and cheques from the complainant in multiple installments. 

However, the accused soon began ignoring his calls and delayed handing over possession of the flat. A few months later, she informed the complainant that the bank had canceled the auction because the flat owner had settled the loan. Despite repeated demands, she returned only Rs 24.02 lakh, withholding the remaining Rs 25.98 lakh. When pressed for the money, Nigar Shaikh allegedly threatened to kill the complainant, citing connections with notorious criminals in the Kondhwa area.

Frustrated by the police's refusal to register his complaint, the complainant approached the Pune Police Commissioner, but to no avail. Eventually, he turned to the court, which ordered the police to take action. Following the court's directive, the police have now registered the case and assigned the investigation to Police Constable Dattatray Bobde. However, concerns have been raised about the handling of the case, as it involves an economic offense of Rs 50 lakh, yet the investigation is being led by a constable.