Gurugram Property Scam: Non-Existent DLF Camellias Flat Sold For Rs 200-Crore!

A recent Rs 200 crore property fraud in the Delhi NCR region has shaken up potential homebuyers. This fraud was unearthed by the Delhi Police, which shows how deep and organised real-estate scams are becoming in India. In this case, the fraudsters sold a luxurious apartment in the prestigious DLF Camellias society, which was sold to a buyer for Rs 12.04 crores.

The victim was first convinced that the property was already bought in a bank auction and is now to be resold at a much cheaper rate by a firm, as reported by TOI. The Crime Branch speculates that the scam is linked to a much larger racket, with fraud exceeding Rs 200 crore across several states.

What Actually Happened?

The victim, who had been on a lookout for a premium residence in the Gurugram region, was approached by these individuals. They claimed to help secure a luxury apartment at a price below the market value. The apartment was introduced to the buyer as a resale property, which was auctioned in a bank auction and bought by the accused firm and is now up for sale and can be transferred immediately.

The accused and the prime member of the syndicate, Mohit Gogia, presented forged papers, sale certificates, and other documents to establish the legitimacy of the deal. Trusting these forged papers, the buyer transferred the funds to the accused between August and October of 2024 through mixed options like RTGS and demand drafts.

The facade crumbled when the buyer attempted to verify the bank auction with the lending institution. The bank had confirmed that no such auction had taken place at all, and all the documents presented were forged. The buyer then approached the Delhi Police, which triggered a deeper and detailed investigation into the matter.

Mohit Gogia was the prime suspect of this fraud. He used to identify bogus or disputed properties and forge and fabricate documents, which lured in other victims. He now faces several charges, like cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

"The syndicate has a nationwide footprint. Several accounts, firms and recipients of the cheated money were identified, and further investigation is underway to trace additional beneficiaries and victims," the DCP said to TOI in a report.

Once this incident was probed further, it came to light that Gogia has at least 16 registered cases against him across Delhi, Punjab, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh, which highlights his deep involvement in property scams. This has been going on with the help of numerous shell companies, bank accounts and other individuals who participated in these crimes.

What makes the scam noteworthy is that the victims were lured with offers of high-end deals that suited their pockets, which is further backed by forged documents. The false promises of becoming a homeowner in prime residential areas were a key factor that fuelled these crimes.

Cases like this encourage buyers to raise caution and awareness when they start their journey of being a homeowner, irrespective of the locality they are purchasing in. These crimes take fire in desperation, lack of knowledge and impatience; it is vital to keep your discretion and discernment.