Pune builder arrested for cheating villagers
Typically, when a city runs out of land for housing, the focus shifts to the surrounding villages and semi-urban land. Given the way that there is big focus on housing and a great increase in property prices in the recent few years, the temptation is to use any means, legal and illegal, to get more money. Mix this with the fact that a majority of the land being acquired is owned by villagers, and the mix becomes explosive.
There is a need to ensure that villagers are treated with respect, and when their land is acquired or bought, it is done legally following due process including the payment of market rates such that the villagers feel adequately compensated. Else, as we have seen in the case of SEZ’s, there is a possibility of tension and violence, and massive delays. But. we will always see cases of people trying to use illegal means to get rich quick, and there is a need for the administration to investigate and haul up the offenders when they see something like this happening, as in this case:
PUNE: The anti-extortion cell of the city police on Friday arrested Pradeep Runwal, managing director of Amrit Runwal Multi Housing Pvt Ltd, and two of his staff – Ankush Parakh and Jaydeep Limaye – for allegedly duping 270 farmers from Manjri village off Pune-Solapur road and for making bogus power of attorney (PoA) documents of their lands.
According to the police, the company had allegedly taken over 108 acres of farmers’ land by making bogus PoA documents without their knowledge. The case came to light after the company itself registered an extortion case against one of their former employees, who in turn exposed them.
In such cases, the investigation should be done quickly, and if they are indeed guilty, the punishment should be quick. There is a need to ensure that justice is seen to be done, else we will soon face a situation when villagers start to take justice in their own hands.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Hi,
I am a victim of credit card fraud!My experience is very strange since in my case the fraud is committed by an insider of the card company.And the the company is harrassing me for payment of the money!
Through the gruelling experience of last more than three years,I have found that,RBI Banking Ombudsman and such instruments created by the Govt.are helpless creatures,no better than post offices forwarding complainant’s letters and bringing back the routine mindless replies fed by the Crd issuing Banks.
There is a need for a fearless and upright consumer’s body fighting for their rights.I n fact,there is a need to have a Credit card victims association in our country.