Builder, eight others booked for embezzling ₹15 crore

Gurugram: A builder and eight others have been booked for allegedly embezzling ₹15 crore from 20 people by offering to sell them shops-cum-offices (SCO) at a township in Farrukhnagar, Sector 3, police said on Saturday.

The complainants alleged the builder entered into an agreement three years ago with 28 individuals for SCOs. The developer took initial payments, claiming that the plots were owned by him, investigators said. The complainants were also told that the project was granted the required licence from the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP). The builder did not obtain any licence from the DTCP, the complaints later got to know.

According to police, the aggrieved who paid booking amounts tried to meet the builder multiple times but were allegedly unable to trace him. Following this, they registered a complaint with Haryana home minister Anil Vij in June this year. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) carried out an inquiry into the case and found the allegations to be true, police added.

An FIR against the builder and others was registered under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 (fraudulent default by financial establishment) of the Haryana Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishment Act at Farrukhnagar police station on Friday night.

HT tried contacting the builder for comment but one of his phone numbers was found to be out of service, while calls to the other went unanswered.

Yogesh Kumar, additional station house officer, Farrukhnagar police station, said police have started investigating the case. They are yet to interrogate the builder and his associates. “EOW was investigating the case earlier,” he added. A senior officer informed that this is the second FIR registered against the builder at Farrukhnagar police station for embezzling money. Based on a complaint filed by 78 buyers, the first FIR was registered on July 15 this year.

SHO Kumar further said, “ In the earlier FIR, buyers alleged that the builder promised to complete a project on 3.5acre just beside the township by May 2020 but no construction has happened till now. The booking amount paid by buyers amounting to ₹15 crore has also not been refunded.” Several of these 78 buyers took out housing loans and are still paying EMIs, he added.