Builder in Panvel held for duping at least 25 people of ₹19.63L

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested a 36-year-old builder earlier this week for allegedly duping at least 25 persons by promising them a bungalow on a plot in Panvel.

The accused conned the clientele of ₹19.63 lakh. The accused, identified as Rohan Arte, is a builder and had been on the run since last year, said police.

“The accused had made brochures for a bungalow on a plot in Nere, Panvel. He had promised to build the bungalow at a cheap rate. After showing the plot to prospective buyers, he would accept the token booking amount and con them,” said Vijay Waghmare, senior inspector at EOW, unit 2.

The accused accepted the money from the complainants between 2015 and 2017. However, after accepting the money, there was no development on the plot.

The police had registered a case against Arte in June last year following the complaints of several persons whom he duped. Since the FIR was registered, Arte fled his Panvel residence.

Police said Arte was hiding in Kandivali from where he was arrested.