The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police conducted a raid on Friday morning at the official residence of Rashmi Karandikar, an IPS officer currently serving in the civil defence department. The search operation is part of an investigation into an alleged large-scale property fraud involving her husband, Purshottam Chavan, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a Rs 263 crore TDS fraud case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Chavan is accused of masterminding a massive property scam, wherein he allegedly deceived multiple victims by promising them high-value flats at a fraction of their market value, claiming that he could secure properties under the urban development department’s government quota. Along with other accused individuals, Chavan faces charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Ms. Karandikar, who had previously led the Mumbai cyber police wing in 2021, has been involved in high-profile cases, such as the “Bulli Bai” app incident in 2022, where Muslim women were targeted online. The EOW’s investigation into the property fraud followed ED’s action against Chavan, who was arrested earlier in the TDS fraud case.
The ED recently shared crucial evidence with the EOW, which included counterfeit government documents recovered during a May 2024 search at Ms. Karandikar’s Colaba residence. These documents were allegedly linked to Chavan’s involvement in the property fraud.
After conducting a preliminary inquiry, the EOW registered an FIR at Colaba police station and took over the investigation. The FIR names several individuals, including Chavan, Prasad Desai, Sanjay Patil, Ganesh Patil, and others who are believed to have helped in preparing fake property documents.
According to the investigation, Chavan is accused of forging government documents related to 19 properties in Mumbai, including Transferable Development Rights (TDR) for land in Mumbai and Pune. He allegedly falsified the signatures of government officials and had the documents registered, facilitating the fraudulent acquisition of properties.
The case was brought to light by a complaint from Kedar Degwekar, a Sion-based businessman who had been introduced to Chavan in 2019. Chavan allegedly promised to secure a government quota flat for Degwekar at a significantly reduced price. Degwekar paid Chavan a total of Rs 3.33 crores for a 3 BHK flat in the 25 South project in Prabhadevi but never received the property or any legitimate documents. Chavan provided Degwekar with fake documents and registered the properties at various sub-registrar offices, making the deal appear authentic.
Over time, Degwekar grew suspicious as delays in the property transfer continued, and after multiple attempts to obtain official documents, he discovered the scam. Chavan’s arrest by the ED in May 2024 further confirmed the fraud, prompting Degwekar to seek legal action to recover his money.
In total, Chavan is believed to have defrauded 19 victims of over Rs 100 crore, selling fake government quota properties and using counterfeit documents to carry out the scheme.
