Pune: A shocking case of fraudulent redevelopment has come to light in Kothrud, Pune, where residents of the Indira Shankar Nagari area discovered that a federation was formed without their consent, aiming to redevelop the entire area.
For over 20 years, more than 36 societies and 60 row houses in the 14-acre Indira Shankar Nagari have been established. The original landowners, the Walawalkar family, had given the land to R.M. Construction for development.
By 2002, the area was fully developed and sold. Some societies have completed the deemed conveyance process, while others are in progress. Despite this, a federation was secretly formed, listing society presidents as members without their consent and even paying fees in their names.
The federation applied to the district deputy registrar for deemed conveyance of the entire area. This came to light when societies received notices, revealing how fraud is being committed in the name of redevelopment. For months, the societies have been fighting against this fraud, receiving no assistance from the police or the cooperative department.
No Permission Given
Vijaykant Gaikwad, Sanjay Patwardhan, and Shantaram Bangar, presidents of R.M. Heights Co-operative Housing Society, stated, "We discovered our society's inclusion in the federation only after inquiring with the district deputy registrar.
No one from our society gave permission or became a federation member. Our names were used to pay cash, making us members without consent. We brought this to the district deputy registrar's attention with documents and demanded a case be filed against those responsible. We also filed a police complaint."
Permission Given by a Deceased Person
Jayashree Mirkute stated, "My father, Madhukar Laxman Satpute, passed away in 2013. He was shown as the president of Ballal Society and supposedly gave permission for the deemed conveyance to the federation. Federation documents showed that Ballal Society paid money in 2023. All this was done without our consent."
Where Did This Happen?
The fraudulent activities occurred in 36 societies and 60 row houses in the 14-acre Kothrud area. Builders were invited to submit tenders for redevelopment with a non-refundable deposit of Rs. 25,000, indicating fraud.
"The federation of Indira Shankar Nagari was registered three to four years ago. The federation has now applied for deemed conveyance, and hearings are ongoing. We will ensure no one is treated unfairly," said Sanjay Raut, District Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies.
