Tardeo police have arrested an accused of cheating a retired BMC employee by luring him with a house for Rs 32.5 lakh. The accused had informed the complainant that reconstruction work had started on a piece of land, and that a person from the same area needed to sell his house.

Details of scam

According to information received from the police, the complainant Kanji Parmar wanted to buy a house, during which he got acquainted with the accused Abdul Aziz Abdul Rafiq Shaikh (40), also known as Ajju. Parmar told Ajju that he intended to purchase a house, and Ajju informed Parmar that extensive redevelopment work was underway in Tulsiwadi, Tardeo.

Ajju mentioned to Parmar that the house of a person named Mohammad Atiq Shaikh was previously demolished at the location due to redevelopment, and Shaikh currently resides in a transit camp. Ajju further informed Parmar that Shaikh wanted to sell his house, showing Parmar all the documents related to Shaikh’s house.

When Parmar expressed his desire to meet Shaikh, the owner of the concerned house, Ajju explained that Shaikh, being unwell, did not meet anyone and had granted Ajju the rights to sell the house.

Trusting Ajju, Parmar gave him a total of Rs 28 lakh in cheque form and Rs 4.5 lakh in cash from October 2018 to March 2023.

Parmar realises fraud and files complaint

Ajju had promised Parmar possession of the house by July 2023 but failed to fulfill it. Whenever Parmar inquired about the home, Ajju would avoid him. When Ajju began avoiding Parmar, Parmar went to Shaikh’s house and found a woman there who turned out to be Shaikh’s daughter. She informed Parmar that her father had purchased the house from Ajju in 2013, and now he had passed away.

Upon learning that Ajju had sold the house to Shaikh in 2013 and was now attempting to sell the same house to him, Parmar realized the fraud and reported it to Tardeo police.

After receiving Parmar’s complaint, Tardeo police investigated and arrested Abdul Aziz Abdul Rafiq Shaikh (40), alias Ajju. The police presented Ajju to the court, where he was sent to police custody until January 15.