A large-scale real estate scam amounting to ₹24.78 crore has been unearthed by the Mumbai Police, leading to fresh legal troubles for the husband of a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. An FIR has been registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Purushottam Prabhakar Chavan for allegedly deceiving multiple individuals by offering them government-allotted properties at concessional rates. The fraudulent transactions have been traced back to Chavan’s official residence in Colaba, where the scam is believed to have been operated.
It has been revealed that at least 20 individuals were lured into the scheme with promises of discounted government quota properties in prominent locations such as Prabhadevi, Dadar, Parel, Thane, and Pune. It has been alleged that Chavan falsely claimed to have high-level connections in government offices, through which he assured buyers that their property purchases would be legally processed. The victims were made to transfer large sums of money into his account, believing that the funds would be deposited with the government as part of an official transaction.
To make the scam appear legitimate, fraudulent property documents were reportedly created, and fake registration papers were prepared. These documents were later shown to the victims as proof of the transactions. It has been stated by investigators that photographs of these fake documents were sent to the buyers, and photocopies were provided to further convince them of their authenticity. However, upon verification, it has been discovered that the properties mentioned in these documents do not exist.
The fraud was exposed when a businessman from Sion, Kedar Degwekar, filed a complaint against Chavan. According to the complaint, it has been alleged that not only was he defrauded, but 19 other individuals also fell prey to the scam. In addition to Chavan, several others, including Prasad Desai, Sanjay Patil, Ganesh Patil, Deepak More, N.D. Nirmale, Govind Sawant, Shashank Limaye, and Yashwant Pawar, have been named as accused in the case. An assistant sub-registrar and multiple officials from the Parel-Sewri stamp registration office have also been implicated for their alleged involvement in forging documents.
Following the registration of the FIR, investigations have been taken over by the EOW, which has intensified its efforts to uncover further details. Chavan is already under judicial custody due to his previous arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a ₹263 crore Income Tax Refund (ITR) fraud case. His role in facilitating financial irregularities has been brought under scrutiny, as significant funds from the ITR scam had been allegedly diverted through him.
During the ED’s investigation into the ITR fraud, a raid was conducted at Chavan’s residence, where multiple property documents were seized. Upon further examination, it was determined that at least 10 to 12 of these properties were fictitious. Forged signatures of government officials were found on many documents, raising suspicions that the scam was conducted with the aid of corrupt administrative personnel.
The Mumbai Police has charged Chavan and his co-accused under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. Despite extensive investigations, no direct evidence has been found implicating Chavan’s IPS officer wife in the scam. However, her staff has been questioned, and their statements have been recorded to understand whether the fraudulent activities were carried out with her knowledge.
With fresh criminal charges filed, authorities are now focused on identifying any other individuals who may have played a role in the scam. The ED is expected to register a new Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) based on the findings of the EOW and will be launching a fresh financial probe into Chavan’s activities. The case continues to unfold as investigators work to trace the misappropriated funds and bring those responsible to justice.
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