MahaRERA Faces Major Test as ₹Multi-Crore Housing Scam

• Forged Papers, Real Pain: Homebuyers Hit Hard

• Multi-Crore Real Estate Scam Exposed

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

A multi-crore housing scam in Ambernath involving forged certificates, illegal approvals, and fraudulent loans has rocked Maharashtra’s real estate sector. Homebuyer Palvinder Singh’s MahaRERA complaint exposes developers, municipal officials, and banks. Sprouts News SIT investigates as calls grow for refunds, compensation, and a Special Investigation Team to ensure justice.

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MahaRERA Faces Major Test as ₹Multi-Crore Housing Scam

A massive real estate fraud has erupted in Ambernath (West), Maharashtra, implicating developers, architects, municipal officers, banking institutions, and regulatory bodies. At the core of this ₹multi-crore housing scam are two residential projects—Mohan Nano Estates and Mohan Suburbia, spearheaded by Mohan Lifespaces LLP and architectural firm Thorat Mathew and Associates.

The scandal came to light after a detailed complaint was filed by homebuyer Palvinder Singh with MahaRERA (Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority) on May 1, 2024. His submission accuses project stakeholders of a coordinated effort to defraud buyers using forged permissions, illegal occupancy claims, and financial misconduct.

Homebuyer’s Ordeal Highlights Real Estate Irregularities

Palvinder Singh’s journey from buyer to whistleblower began with simple demands—repair basic structural flaws in his flat. When the builder refused to rectify severe water leakages and tile damage affecting multiple units, Singh paid for the repairs out of pocket in January 2025. This experience triggered a deeper probe into the project’s documentation, culminating in his comprehensive MahaRERA complaint.

Singh’s case exposes the sheer vulnerability of homebuyers in Maharashtra’s real estate ecosystem—where even completed projects may rest on forged approvals.

Forged Certificates and Fraudulent Construction Permissions

One of the most damning allegations is the use of forged commencement and occupancy certificates. A commencement certificate dated July 2, 2015, authorizing “Stilt + 18 floors” without project or building details, was allegedly used to construct 31 buildings.

A second certificate, bearing the same document number but different height specifications, points to systematic forgery.

In a written affidavit, Hari Bhatia, a partner at Mohan Lifespaces, admitted that the first certificate was incorrect and claimed the 2015 certificate was “mistakenly uploaded” on 2nd July 2015 on MahaRERA website. However, Sprouts News notes that MahaRERA did not exist until May 1, 2017—rendering the explanation invalid.

Hari Bhatia claimed in his affidavit that they had taken MahaRERA extention for building completion in 2020, but this is false. The extension was taken for the conveyance deed, but to date, the conveyance deed is not done.

Despite these inconsistencies, builders claimed project completion by April 2016, years before actual construction milestones or COVID-era extensions, indicating deliberate manipulation of official records.

Ambernath Municipality Under Fire for Complicity

The Ambernath Municipal Council is accused of clearing fabricated documents and failing in multiple statutory duties. Allegations include:

•Issuing incomplete and vague commencement certificates.

•Failing to enforce environmental clearance requirements.

•Waiving crucial development charges and FSI dues.

•Issuing backdated occupancy certificates without fire and environmental clearances.

Furthermore, bogus societies were registered by the Ambernath Cooperative Housing Registrar based on forged documentation.

Property tax officers acknowledged taxes from 2016, despite residents receiving possession only in March 2021, reinforcing suspicions of backdated approvals.

MahaRERA Faces Major Test as ₹Multi-Crore Housing Scam

Banking Irregularities and Harassment Add to Scandal

Sprouts News has also uncovered disturbing banking practices. HDFC Bank, through Recovery Officer Anthony Barneto, allegedly issued threats of legal action and auction notices against Singh. This is despite evidence that loans were disbursed using fraudulent project documents.

Singh’s formal complaint to HDFC’s nodal officer Ripal Kiritkumar Sheth remains unresolved. He has also approached the RBI Ombudsman, highlighting a broader issue of due diligence lapses across banking channels in real estate finance.

Web of Collusion: Builders, Bureaucrats, and Bankers

The cast of accused in this alleged scam is both extensive and influential:

•Developers: Jeetender Mohandas Lalchandani, Tushar Lalchandani, Deepak Manchandya, Prashant Rai, Hari Bhatia among others from Mohan Lifespaces LLP.

•Architects: Thorat Mathew and Associates, including Sarang Thorat.

•Municipal Officers: Prashant Rasal, Bhalchandra Gosavi, Shridhar Patankar, Devidas Pawar.

•Town Planners: Vivek Gautam, Prakash Muley.

•Property Tax Department: Narendra Sankey, Amol Manakar.

•Cooperative Registrars: Suresh Adhare, Ramchandra Lokhande, Rajendra Markad.

•Environmental Authority: Manisha Mhaiskar for alleged lapses in verifying clearances.

• Police Apathy Raises Questions of Institutional Compromise

Despite compelling evidence, no FIR has been registered. Complaints lodged with Crime Branch 5 Wagle Estate, Thane EOW, and Ambernath Police have been ignored or dismissed. Officers named include API Avinash Mahajan, Sr. PI Jagannath Kalaskar, and EOW DCP Parag Manere, among others.

This refusal to act has further eroded public trust, raising concerns of a deliberate cover-up or institutional apathy toward consumer rights.

Also Read: Railway Land Missing in Dharavi Rehab, RTI Exposes Flaw in Dharavi Redevelopment Project.

Legal Remedies and MahaRERA’s Moment of Truth

Citing Sections 7 and 31 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, Singh seeks:

•Termination of his sale agreement.

•Full refund of all payments and EMIs, with interest.

•Compensation for mental and financial trauma.

•Permission to surrender the flat post-compensation.

•Formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the scam.

In his plea to MahaRERA, Singh stated:

“This scam has inflicted unbearable financial and emotional strain. I urge MahaRERA to deliver swift justice. Delay only empowers the guilty.”

Sprouts News SIT Tracks Case as MahaRERA Readies Verdict

With hearings underway, all eyes are on MahaRERA to issue a precedent-setting ruling. Will it dismantle a web of institutional negligence, or will it succumb to the pressures of a well-connected builder lobby?

Sprouts News and its Special Investigation Team (SIT) will continue to monitor this developing story, ensuring public accountability and regulatory transparency.

This case could become a turning point in the enforcement of real estate norms in Maharashtra—restoring faith in MahaRERA or revealing the depths of systemic rot in urban housing governance.