Judicial Probe Demanded Into MahaRERA Order
• MahaRERA Caught in Ambernath Scam Storm
• Fake Certificates, Real Betrayal
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
MahaRERA is under fire for allegedly shielding Mohan Group in a multi-crore housing scam in Ambernath. Despite forged occupancy certificates and regulatory violations, MahaRERA dismissed buyer complaints without investigation. Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) exposes collusion between builders, municipal officials, and regulators, demanding a judicial probe and justice for affected homebuyers.
Contents
Judicial Probe Demanded Into MahaRERA Order• MahaRERA Caught in Ambernath Scam Storm• Fake Certificates, Real BetrayalAmbernath Scam: Forged Certificates, Builder Admission Ignored by MahaRERABuilder Directors, Architects and Sales Heads Named in ScamSaunik’s MahaRERA Order: “One-Sided, Legally Flawed”Regulatory Capture: MahaRERA Accused of Builder NexusHomebuyers Crushed by EMIs, Delays, and Mental TraumaSIT Calls for Judicial Inquiry and Criminal ActionAlso Read: Bhandari Bank Scandal Explodes: SIT Probes ₹12 Crore Recovery Failure.Related Article: Multi-Crore Housing Scam in Ambernath.MahaRERA’s Maharashtra Crisis: From Pune to AmbernathSprouts Will Continue to Investigate
The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) is facing serious allegations of favouring builders in a multi-crore housing scam linked to Mohan Group’s projects—Mohan Nano Estates and Mohan Suburbia—in Ambernath (West), Thane district. Despite documented violations, forged occupancy and commencement certificates, and glaring regulatory gaps, MahaRERA is accused of protecting developers while abandoning thousands of aggrieved homebuyers.
At the centre of this scandal is a controversial MahaRERA order that dismissed all complaints filed by flat buyer and whistleblower Palvinder Singh. The order, passed by designated authority Manoj Saunik, is now drawing sharp criticism for ignoring sworn admissions of fraud, forged documents, and municipal collusion.
Ambernath Scam: Forged Certificates, Builder Admission Ignored by MahaRERA
Palvinder Singh filed detailed complaints to MahaRERA outlining how municipal officials—including former Chief Officers Prashant Rasal, Shridhar Patankar, Devidas Pawar, Bhalchandra Gosavi, Town Planner Vivek Gautam, Prakash Muley and Vidyasagar Chavan —allegedly issued illegal Occupancy Certificates (OC) and Commencement Certificates (CC) to Mohan Group. These documents were submitted to falsely claim project readiness and secure RERA registration.
Shockingly, in a sworn affidavit submitted to MahaRERA, builder Hari Bhatia admitted that the uploaded commencement certificate (dated July 2, 2015) was “incorrect” and uploaded “by mistake.” Legal experts point out the obvious inconsistency—MahaRERA was only established in May 2017, raising questions about how such a document existed on its platform two years earlier.
Further, although Bhatia stated possession was not feasible before December 2020 due to the pandemic, an Occupancy Certificate dated January 17, 2020, was granted when the construction site was visibly incomplete. These contradictions were overlooked in the MahaRERA order.
“This is not an administrative lapse—it’s a coordinated cover-up,” a whistleblower told the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT). “The complicity between builders and civic officials is undeniable.”
Builder Directors, Architects and Sales Heads Named in Scam
The Sprouts SIT investigation has identified key Mohan Group figures involved in the scam:
•Jeetender Mohandas Lalchandani
•Tushar Jeetendra Lalchandani
•Deepak Manchandya
•Manohar Manchandya
•Om Manchandya
•Hari Bhatia
•Ajit Gandhi
•Amit Gandhi
Additionally, Prashant Rai, the group’s Sales Manager, is under scrutiny for misleading buyers and facilitating fraudulent deals.
The architectural firm Thorat Mathew and Associates, particularly architect Sarang Thorat, has been named in complaints for endorsing illegal designs and structures. Complainants allege the firm signed off on plans that violated both RERA norms and municipal laws.
Saunik’s MahaRERA Order: “One-Sided, Legally Flawed”
In what is now being condemned as a “builder-biased” ruling, MahaRERA’s Manoj Saunik dismissed Singh’s well-documented complaints without ordering any investigation. His decision reportedly shields the builder and implicated municipal officers, sparking backlash from legal experts and civil society groups.
“The order fails to address forgery, admissions of guilt, and municipal misconduct,” said a retired RERA expert. “It’s as if MahaRERA has abandoned its role as a consumer protector and become a protector of the builder lobby.”
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has found that despite the builder’s affidavit acknowledging serious lapses, MahaRERA refused to order even a technical audit, let alone disciplinary action.
Regulatory Capture: MahaRERA Accused of Builder Nexus
The Sprouts SIT investigation suggests a wider pattern of “regulatory capture” within MahaRERA, where officials allegedly collude with builders through procedural manipulation and selective hearings. Developers like the Mohan Group reportedly influence decisions via backdoor lobbying, creating a parallel system that defies the objectives of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act.
A retired senior official said on condition of anonymity,
“MahaRERA has become a compromised entity. It protects developers from consequences rather than enforcing accountability. It’s no longer serving the homebuyer—it’s serving a corrupt nexus.”
Homebuyers Crushed by EMIs, Delays, and Mental Trauma
Thousands of homebuyers are now trapped in legal and financial turmoil. They are paying EMIs on properties backed by forged approvals, structural defects , and regulatory apathy. Many face severe emotional and psychological stress, with no support from the very institution meant to protect them.
“This is not just regulatory failure—it’s state-enabled financial victimisation,” said a distressed buyer. “We are stuck with illegal flats and lifelong loans. The system is rigged against us.”
Buyers allege they were misled by brochures, false possession dates, and fraudulent paperwork. With the MahaRERA order effectively silencing complaints, flat buyer now approached consumer courts and RTI platforms for redressal.
SIT Calls for Judicial Inquiry and Criminal Action
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has demanded:
•A judicial commission of inquiry into MahaRERA’s handling of the Mohan Group case
•Criminal prosecution of Ambernath Municipal Council officers involved in issuing illegal certificates
•Disciplinary action against the architectural firm and MahaRERA authorities involved in suppressing facts
•Compensation and legal aid for all affected flat buyers
Legal scholars warn that unless systemic accountability is enforced, MahaRERA risks losing all public trust.
Also Read: Bhandari Bank Scandal Explodes: SIT Probes ₹12 Crore Recovery Failure.
Related Article: Multi-Crore Housing Scam in Ambernath.
MahaRERA’s Maharashtra Crisis: From Pune to Ambernath
This case is not isolated. From Navi Mumbai to Pune, MahaRERA has repeatedly been accused of shielding rogue builders, rejecting whistleblower pleas, and rubber-stamping forged submissions. Experts now argue that the authority itself needs urgent reform and oversight.
“This isn’t a regulatory agency anymore—it’s a cartel facilitator,” said a senior official . “We either dismantle this nexus or risk permanent damage to Maharashtra’s housing sector.”
As Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) continues its probe into MahaRERA’s controversial rulings and opaque operations, the call for transparency, accountability, and justice grows louder.
Sprouts Will Continue to Investigate
MahaRERA’s actions in this Ambernath scam reflect deeper, structural failures in Maharashtra’s real estate regulatory ecosystem. With affected buyers demanding restitution and growing public outcry against institutional apathy, Sprouts News remains committed to exposing the truth—no matter how powerful the players involved.
