Four Booked for Cheating Goldsmiths of Rs 80 Lakh Over Promised SRA Flats

Mumbai: Four individuals have been booked by LT Marg police for allegedly defrauding two South Mumbai goldsmiths of Rs 80 lakh by falsely promising them flats under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project in Kanjurmarg. The accused used forged documents and claimed to have influential contacts at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The victims, Bhuvaneshwar Santra and Bimal Samantha, were lured by Kunal Sawant, who posed as a government employee and promised cheap flat allotments. Bhuvaneshwar, introduced to Sawant in mid-2023 through an acquaintance, initially paid Rs 12.42 lakh and later transferred a total of Rs 40 lakh.

Sawant forged fake allotment letters and involved three others—identified as Kadam, Tawde, and Pawar—claiming they would assist with handovers and documentation. When Sawant became unreachable and failed to deliver the promised flats, Bhuvaneshwar discovered that Bimal Samantha had also been scammed for a similar amount.

The victims filed a police complaint after attempts to trace Sawant failed. A case of cheating and forgery has been registered, and police are investigating the suspects' whereabouts.