Mumbai airport rehab flats quickly sold post possession

12 Mar 2024 CW Team

Twelve individuals have been apprehended by the police, and 53 have been charged for engaging in the unlawful trade of free houses designated for project-affected persons (PAPs) who were relocated due to the expansion of the Mumbai airport.

A ceremony took place at a private banquet hall in Andheri, during which the local MLA presented keys to 53 PAP flats. According to the Saki Naka police, certain recipients illicitly sold their flats shortly after receiving the keys outside the banquet hall.

According to regulations, once a flat is allocated under PAP, it cannot be transferred or sold for a minimum of 10 years.

Upon receiving information from informants, the police conducted a raid, apprehending 12 individuals on the spot and charging over 53 individuals who were involved in the buying and selling of flats, even some who were ineligible for these rehabilitation flats. A significant number of counterfeit documents were seized from them, and they were charged with offenses such as cheating, forgery, breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy. The authorities are currently searching for an additional 40 individuals who managed to escape.

Police, in collaboration with MMRDA officials, conducted a raid at Galaxy Hall in Saki Naka and discovered a gathering of over 400 people. Local MLA Dilip Landge was distributing keys to houses for residents of Kranti Nagar affected by the airport's expansion.

"When a few of them were apprehended, they failed to provide any explanation or produce documents demonstrating their eligibility for these flats. Some eligible individuals were found engaging in illegal selling, leading to their arrest for causing financial loss to the treasury," stated a police officer.

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