Mumbai Fraud Alert: 2 Men Dupe Cancer Patient Of ₹30 Lakh With Fake MHADA Housing Scheme
Mumbai: The Vikhroli police have registered an FIR against two men for allegedly cheating a cancer patient by promising him a subsidized MHADA house under a fake special scheme for cancer survivors. The accused, identified as Yogesh Patankar and Kailash Kirtane, were earlier booked in multiple cheating cases for posing as government officials and duping victims of over Rs 75 lakh with promises of government jobs.
How Did The Fraud Take Place?
According to police, the latest victim, Jeetendra Thokale (53), a resident of Vikhroli East, was defrauded between January and August 2023. Thokale lives with his wife, daughter, and two sisters, one of whom, Jayshree, is battling fourth-stage cancer.
While purchasing medicines for her, Thokale befriended Kirtane at a local medical store. Over time, Kirtane introduced him to his influential friend Yogesh Patankar from Kharghar, claiming Patankar was the deputy secretary in the deputy chief minister’s office.
According to a Hindustan Times report, Kirtane told Thokale that Patankar could help him get a MHADA flat at a heavily discounted rate under a special housing scheme for cancer patients. In January 2023, Thokale met Patankar inside Mantralaya, where the accused assured him of a house in exchange for an upfront payment of Rs 30 lakh. Believing the offer to be genuine, Thokale paid the amount in instalments over several months.
However, once the payment was complete, communication from the duo stopped. When Thokale began asking for updates, both accused verbally abused and threatened him instead of refunding the money. Struggling financially and realizing he had been duped, Thokale filed a police complaint earlier this week.
Case Filed In Vikhroli Police Station
The Vikhroli police have registered a case under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 294 (obscene acts), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code against the two.
Investigations revealed that the same duo had previously cheated Dilip Howal (63), a retired employee of Godrej Company, between 2019 and 2021. Using the same method, Kirtane befriended Howal at a medical store and introduced him to Patankar, who offered jobs in the Public Works Department for a payment of Rs 6 lakh per candidate.
Trusting them, Howal and his family collectively paid Rs 75 lakh for eight supposed job postings. When no jobs materialised, the accused turned abusive, prompting Howal to approach the police. Both Patankar and Kirtane are currently under investigation for multiple counts of fraud and impersonation.
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