Businessman faces fraud charges over fake lease

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a shocking twist, a businessman has been accused of submitting fake documents in court to fraudulently extend his lease and defraud two families. The accused Nitin Anant Dasharthe, Rohit Nitin Dasharthe, and Geeta Nitin Dasharthe are facing charges of forgery and deception. A case has been registered against them at the Vedantnagar Police Station.

The saga began when 70-year-old Elizabeth Batra and her 76-year-old husband Gulshankumar rented out a 1450 square-foot shop to Dasharthe for his business, "Fresh O Farm." The lease, which was set to end on September 30, 2024, became a point of contention when Dasharthe refused to vacate the premises. Not only had he failed to pay Rs. 16 lakh in overdue rent for 16 months, but he also began using threats and local goons to pressure the Batras into compliance.

In a brazen attempt to extend the lease, Dasharthe filed a claim in court, presenting a forged letter allegedly from Dr. Uday Annapure, a neighboring property owner. The letter falsely stated that Dr. Annapure had leased property to Dasharthe and received a deposit of Rs. 10 lakh.

Forgery uncovered

The Batras were quick to contact Dr. Annapure, only to discover that he had never issued any such letter. Further investigation revealed that Dasharthe had forged Annapure's signature and submitted a fraudulent affidavit to the court. The scheme not only targeted the Batras but also involved defrauding Dr. Annapure and misleading the court.

This was not the first time the Batras had resorted to drastic measures to get their shop back. Earlier, they had staged an indefinite hunger strike outside their home to protest Dasharthe's refusal to vacate. Following confirmation of the fraud, the police, under the orders of DCP Nitin Bagate, filed a case against Dasharthe and his family. PSI Vaibhav More is leading the investigation.