Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Mahesh Patil, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) K North Ward, has been suspended in connection with a Rs 16-crore cheating case filed by Habiba Jaffrey, wife of actor Jaaved Jaaferi. The suspension order was issued on June 5 and was served on him on Sunday, June 7.
An FIR has been registered at Khar Police Station against Patil and five others for allegedly defrauding Habiba Jaffrey in connection with a Bandra redevelopment project. According to reports, businessman Nishit Patel has been arrested in the case and was produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody until May 19.
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Patil had earlier been sent on compulsory leave for a month in November last year over allegations of “improper investment” linked to the same Bandra redevelopment project. He had denied those allegations at the time.
In her complaint, Habiba Jaffrey alleged that she first met Patil at the BMC office, where he purportedly introduced her to what he described as a lucrative investment opportunity linked to the Bandra redevelopment project. She further alleged that Patil advised her to route the investment through businessman Nishit Patel.
The complaint further alleges that forged government registration documents were created and shown as genuine to persuade Habiba Jaffrey, Jaaved Jaaferi, their relatives including Naved Jaffrey, and others to invest in the project.
According to the complaint, the accused collected around Rs 16.24 crore from the investors through cheques, cash, foreign currency and luxury watches before allegedly cheating them.
After she allegedly discovered the fraud, Habiba Jaffrey approached Khar Police earlier this month, following which the FIR was registered. The case is now being investigated, with Patil suspended and Nishit Patel arrested in connection with the allegations.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
