FIR against Sushil Ansal, 15 others for fraud

A FIR was filed here on Monday against real estate tycoon Sushil Ansal and 15 others, accusing them of fraud for selling a plot without having legal ownership, police said.

The FIR, lodged under various sections dealing with cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy, by Uma Agrawal states that on January 9, 2012, she had bought a 153 square metre plot in Ansal's Sushant Aquapolis township to be developed alongside National Highway-24 in the Doondahera area. 

"We have registered the complaint and investigation has been initiated," said Inspector Naresh Kumar Singh of the Vijay Nagar police station. 

Agrawal said that on the Ansal's commitment to hand over the possession of the plot within a year, she deposited Rs 4 lakh and paid further installments taking the total to Rs 22 lakh within six months. This was half of the price of the plot, as the agreement provided for a 50 per cent advance payment and the rest in a development-linked plan. 

She complained the Ansals did not fulfill their commitment and continued delaying handing over the plot. As they were not responding to her complaints, she approached the state Urban Development Minister, who asked officials to solve her problem. 

A month after her meeting with the minister, she received a letter from Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd, enclosing a cheque of Rs 5 lakh and informing her that they do not possess the plot and will refund the principal amount in installments. 

In shock at losing her money and the income from interest if she had deposited it in a bank, Agrawal approached a chartered accountant, who calculated the total loss at Rs 50 lakh. She subsequently refused to accept the cheque and filed the FIR. 

"It is not a case of delaying possession but a case of cheating... The promoters (Ansals and others) sold the land on merely layout plan without having land ownership which they admitted after five years of sale.. they are liable to be punished for committing fraud," she said.  - IANS