New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS): A woman has been arrested for allegedly duping people to the tune of over Rs 5 crore on the pretext of offering them resale flats for purchase in Max Heights Dream Homes residential society in Haryana's Sonipat, an official said on Thursday.
The arrested individual has been identified as Rashmi Rathi, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. She was arrested in Uttar Pradesh by a team of Delhi Police.
The matter came to light after a case was registered at the Economic Offences Wing based on a complaint from a resident of Rohini in Delhi.
She alleged that on January 1, 2021, she purchased a flat at Max Heights Dream Homes at Kundli in Sonipat, and made the payment through RTGS.
The directors of Max Heights provided possession and registered the flat in her name.
Subsequently, she intended to buy flat number B-201 in the same society, for Rs 17 lakh.
"The payment was directed to Rashmi Rathi at C-407, Manglam Paradise Mall, Sector-3, Rohini, Delhi, on the instructions of Arun Rathi and Prateek Rathi. She alleged that Rs 12 lakh was given in cash and Rs. 5 lakh was transferred through RTGS. Keys were handed over to her after the payments. However, the company directors denied receiving the payments and refused to transfer ownership rights officially," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Surendra Choudhary.
The complainant further claimed that Rashmi Rathi had cheated her and others using a similar modus operandi, amassing more than Rs 5 crore through fake and fabricated documents.
Investigation revealed that the actual allottees of the flats had never intended to sell their flats.
"Rathi, using forged documents, sold their flats, collecting over Rs 5 crore in her bank accounts, which were either withdrawn as cash or transferred elsewhere," said the DCP. Rathi deceived multiple individuals in the guise of providing resale flats using forged documents.
During the probe, Rathi was found absconding but was later apprehended in Podari village in Bulandshahr.
Rathi was an employee of Maxheights Promoters Private Limited for the past 12 years, and served as the Office Coordinator.
"She managed the front-office and was involved in client service, having comprehensive knowledge of the project. Over time, she gained complete trust within the company. As the Office Coordinator, she oversaw routine company operations and interacted with flat owners for payment recovery," said the DCP.
Misusing her position, Rathi, in collaboration with local property dealers, deceived unsuspecting buyers/sellers. "She established shell companies to facilitate her activities, paying and receiving money from involved parties and issuing sham NOCs. She conducted smaller transactions from her shell companies, her own account, and her sister's account to settle sub-ledgers of different flats," said the DCP.
Rathi used various stationery articles, letterheads, and rubber stamps of the company to deceive unsuspecting buyers.