₹17.5 crore land fraud: EOW files fresh case

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police has re-registered case of financial fraud of Rs 17.50 crore against a group of people for conspiring to acquire land from Manubhai Foundation for development purposes, and made a businessman pay Rs 17.50 crore, promising development of the said land.
The police have booked Hitesh Patel, Snehal Patel, partners of M/s Essex Properties, and partners of Jaditte Properties for cheating, misappropriation of funds, and criminal conspiracy.The police said that the case had been registered at Malabar Hill police station, and it has now been transferred to EOW.
The complainant Ritesh Girdharilal Lakhi, a resident of Malabar Hill, has reported a “massive cheating” case to the tune of Rs 17.50 crore.
The alleged fraud took place between 2018 and 2023. According to the complaint, Hitesh Shah, Snehal Patel, and their accomplices cheated Lakhi by taking the money meant for the development of the land and used it for their benefit without entering into a development agreement.