A shocking case of real estate fraud has come to light in Andheri, where a 32-year-old woman working in the film industry was allegedly duped of ₹16.5 lakh by a man posing as a builder. The accused, along with his associate, lured the victim with the promise of a flat at a cheaper rate. The Versova police have registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust against both men and have launched a search operation to nab them.
According to police officials, the complainant lives in the Versova-Yari Road area of Andheri and works as an artist, while her husband teaches acting. One of the accused, Mohammad Iqbal Azimkhan Ahmed, has known the couple for the past eight years. In May 2023, Iqbal introduced the woman to Babu Anand Sindal, claiming he was a builder involved in a residential construction project named "Kalpesh House" in Mandvi Gully, Versova.
Babu Sindal allegedly persuaded the woman to book a 400 sq. ft. flat in the under-construction building. After inspecting the site and seeing construction activity, she agreed and began paying him in instalments, totaling ₹16.5 lakh. However, the accused failed to hand over possession of the flat within the promised period.
When the woman revisited the construction site, she discovered that work had been stalled and the building was entangled in a legal dispute. Further investigation revealed that Babu Sindal was not a builder but merely a contractor working on the project.
Realizing she had been cheated, the woman demanded her money back from Sindal and Iqbal, but they allegedly refused to return the amount, including any interest. Left with no choice, she lodged a formal complaint at the Versova Police Station.
After preliminary verification, police registered a case under relevant sections of cheating and criminal breach of trust against Babu Anand Sindal and Mohammad Iqbal Azimkhan Ahmed. Both have been declared wanted, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest them.