The Gurugram Police have arrested the director of 32nd Milestone and his wife for allegedly cheating a man of around Rs 28 lakh through the sale of a commercial shop and false assurances of rental income.
How the Rs 28 Lakh Shop Cheating Fraud Worked
According to the police, the complainant lodged a complaint on December 20 last year alleging that Anubhav Sharma, Dhruv Dutt Sharma and Shireen Sharma sold a shop at 32nd Milestone in Sector 15, Gurugram, to his son for approximately Rs 28 lakh. The accused allegedly claimed that the unit had a larger area than its actual size.
The couple also assured the complainant that the shop would be leased on a long-term basis, which would generate regular rental income for the buyer. This promise of steady returns was a key part of the deal that convinced the investor to go ahead with the purchase.
Rent Payments Stopped and Possession Never Handed Over
Police said the accused paid rent for a brief period before stopping the payments. They also failed to hand over actual possession of the shop to the buyer. This left the investor with neither the property nor the promised income.
The case highlights how fraudulent property deals often combine false claims about the asset itself with promises of future earnings. In this instance, both tactics were used together to secure the payment from the victim.
Police Action in the Gurugram Cheating Case
The Gurugram Police acted on the complaint and arrested the director and his wife in connection with the case. The arrests come after the complainant approached the authorities with details of the alleged fraud.
According to Rediff Money, the case involves the director of 32nd Milestone and his wife being arrested in the cheating case. The investigation is ongoing as police look into the full extent of the alleged fraud.
Our Take: What This Means for Property Buyers
To put it plainly, this case is a warning for anyone buying commercial property in India. The accused allegedly used two common tricks — inflating the size of the property and promising guaranteed rental income. Both are red flags that buyers should watch for.
In our view, buyers must verify the actual dimensions of any property before making payment. They should also be cautious about promises of assured rental income, especially when such guarantees come from the seller rather than a third-party tenant.
The fact that rent payments stopped after a brief period shows how quickly such arrangements can fall apart. Buyers should insist on seeing signed lease agreements and verifying the tenant's credentials before handing over money.
This arrest sends a clear message that such fraudulent practices will not go unpunished. But the better outcome would be for buyers to protect themselves from the start by doing proper due diligence on every aspect of a property deal.