No relief for builder who ‘cheated’ scientists

MUMBAI: A sessions court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a builder who is alleged to have cheated BARC scientists after luring them with a bogus housing scheme at Ulwe.
The scientists had lodged the FIR against the developer, Ajit Singh, and his four aides, including BARC employee Deep Naag. According to the complaint, Naag acted as a middleman in the fraud and got the developers, who owned Prathamesh Constructions, to meet the scientists.The accused had promised the victims flats in Navi Mumbai. The victims had paid an advance and were waiting to take possession of the flats when the developers reneged on the deal.
An intervention application filed by 12 of the scientists said that “50 renowned scientists working at BARC were cheated”. The scientists said that in 2010, they were shown “fake” papers of a land with a plan to construct a housing society. They were allegedly told that the land was registered and the title was clear. The intervention application further states that since it was their own colleague Nag who advertised the project, the scientists believed the developer and gave advance money to Singh. The scientists said they were collectively cheated to a tune of Rs 6 crore.