Mumbai: 4 Developers Charged With Defrauding Senior Citizen Of ₹3.91 Crores In Ghatkopar Real Estate Scam

Mumbai: The Ghatkopar police have filed charges against Devang, Jaysinh, Maulik, and Nitin Punjala Dave, designated partners of Punjalal G Dave Realtors LLP, for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen of ₹3.91 crores.

The complainant, Sanjay Dhawan (63), a resident of Vidyavihar, reported to the police that his late father, Janakraj Dhawan, had owned two flats in Amritsar, a building, and two godowns in Masjid Bunder, which he sold between 2008 and 2012. According to Dhawan, Janakraj’s “close friend” Harshadbhai Dave, who owned Punjalal G Dave Realtors LLP (PGD), persuaded him to invest the proceeds into the company, promising substantial returns and land. Consequently, in 2012, Janakraj invested ₹5.5 crore in PGD.

Sanjay Dhawan also stated that in 2005, he met Kalpesh Seth, a director at Seth Builders and a committee member of Jai Arihant CHS (located on 90 Feet Road, Ghatkopar), who was overseeing the redevelopment of the project. Seth reportedly approached Janakraj Dhawan to invest in the redevelopment. Between 2008 and 2010, they paid Seth a total of ₹82,63,000 in installments. However, Sanjay Dhawan added that in 2011, Seth halted the project due to multiple delays and transferred the power of attorney to him.

The society later decided to transfer the incomplete project to PGD, for which Sanjay Dhawan provided a No Objection Certificate (NOC). According to the agreement, Sanjay was to receive two shops in the completed project and ₹1.5 crore. However, Sanjay alleges that neither of these commitments were fulfilled.

He further stated that in April 2011, an agreement was signed between PGD, Jaysinh Dave, Janakraj and Sons LLP, Geeta Thanai (Sanjay Dhawan's sister), Sunny Dhawan, and Sanjay Dhawan. The agreement stipulated that Aspria Constructions LLP would complete the project.

Between April and December 2013, Devang, Maulik, and Jaysinh Punjala Dave returned ₹3.29 crore of the ₹3.50 crore invested by the Dhawan family in the project, which initially built their trust in PGD. However, Sanjay Dhawan alleged that PGD later persuaded them to invest further in two projects—Chandani CHS in Ghatkopar and Arihant Siddhi Apartment in Borivali—with the promise of receiving 25% of the saleable area in return. From 2013 to 2015, Sanjay paid PGD ₹3.91 crore via cheque, but these funds were never returned. Sanjay claims that despite repeated requests and warnings, the money was not refunded. Additionally, he alleges that his family faced threats of assault if they continued to demand the return of their funds.

Frustrated by the prolonged wait for his money, Sanjay Dhawan approached the Ghatkopar police. As a result, Punjalal G Dave, along with Devang, Maulik, Jaysinh, and Nitin Punjala Dave, has been named as accused. They have been booked under charges including cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal intimidation, among other offenses under the Indian Penal Code.