Key accused in MHADA flats fraud case held from Karnataka

Mumbai, Dec 9 (PTI) The Mumbai police has arrested a key accused in a fraud case involving Rs 17.74 crore, in which multiple investors were promised MHADA flats in south Mumbai and central suburbs, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused was identified as Prabhakar Shetty, who was apprehended by the city police's Economic Offences Wing from Karnataka's Udupi district, an official said.

Shetty is believed to be a close aide of the alleged mastermind in the case, he said.

After the arrest, he was produced in a local court, which sent him in police custody till December 12, he said.

According to investigators, Shetty allegedly handled portions of the cash and gold collected from multiple investors who were promised Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) flats in south Mumbai and the city's central suburbs.

The FIR was registered at Dindoshi police station by a businessman Mohammad Aslam Qureshi (45), states that Chaudhary had allegedly projected himself as a senior IB officer with access to government housing quotas.

To reinforce this identity, he allegedly circulated forged MHADA allotment letters, fake challans and counterfeit correspondence bearing senior officials' names, the police said. PTI DC NP