RUPEES TWENTY-NINE LAKH. This is all that 60-year-old widow Parulben Trivedi, a resident of Shyam Residency in Bhavnagar, had as savings. But, like any other investments-savvy Gujarati, she put it in a property in Ahmedabad’s Chandkheda area through an estate broker. Only to discover much later that she had put her money in the wrong hands.
The under-construction property was shown to her by broker Alok Joshi and his wife Pankhni of Sygnius Realty LLP located at Ganesh Meriden on SG Highway. It took her a while to realise that the property shown to her by Joshi from a distance was a shelved project and the Rs 29 lakh she handed over to the broker was all gobbled up by the couple. Now, she is fighting a police battle to get her money.
“We were shown brochures of the commercial complex which was supposed to come up in Chandkheda by Joshi and his wife. But later we came to know that the scheme was already abandoned by Ronak Patel, one of the owners of Parshav Infra Pvt Ltd, in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.
“Joshi did return Rs 8.50 lakh but siphoned off the remaining Rs 20.50 lakh. We had approached Sola police twice but our complaint was not registered. We had to approach the DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) of the zone,” recounts Shrutiben Patel, daughter-in-law of Parulben.
DCP, Zone-1 Ravindra Patel said the complainant had approached him. “Under my direction, the complaint was registered on July 16, 2021. We have arrested Alok Joshi too,” Patel added.
When contacted, Ronak Patel of Parshav Infra told VoI that they had planned a commercial scheme in Chandkheda in February 2020 but had to abandon it in March 2020 due to the Corona crisis.
“Joshi did not have any authority to book the shops on our behalf in the commercial complex. Joshi has not only cheated the widow but also us, in a way. Joshi is a fraud. I have got my statement recorded with Sola police station,” he said.
Parulben’s daughter-in-law Shrutiben, whose husband Bhavinbhai is at present in Australia, told VoI that they wanted to invest in property in Ahmedabad.
“Joshi told us that Pashva Infra is coming up with a commercial complex in Chandkheda and he could book a shop for us. He even took us to the site and from the road, which is adjacent to the site, showed us the place where the shop with the price tag of Rs 29 lakh would come up,” said Shruti Patel.
She said they paid Joshi Rs 6 lakh on March 5 last year and the remaining Rs 23 lakh on the 18th. “Joshi told us that they would get the possession of the shop in December 2020 when the project is likely to be completed. He even gave us receipts for the payments on his letterhead,” she said.
The Patels did not pursue it since Shrutiben’s father-in-law died in September 2020 after liver complications. Later when they contacted Joshi, he said the process of RERA (Real Estate Regulation Act) registration would soon be completed and they would get the possession of the shop after Diwali.
Talking to VoI from Australia, Parulben’s son Bhavinbhai said they suspected something wrong with Joshi’s approach and directly contacted Ronak Patel.
“He told us that he had not given any authority to Joshi to get the bookings on his behalf, and the project has already been abandoned. This was a shock for us,” said Bhavinbhai. And when they contacted Joshi again, he expressed his apologies and promised to return the money soon.
According to the FIR lodged by Parulben, after this Joshi returned Rs 8.50 lakh and gave them post dated cheques for the remaining Rs 20.50 lakh. However, when the cheques bounced, they approached Joshi again but he said he had no money and they could do whatever they wanted.
Inspector JP Jadeja of Sola police station said they acted swiftly and “we have already arrested Joshi and are hunting for the other accused.”
