Police registers FIR against Ansal builders over duping, cheating investors

Aafter over five years of booking, no sign of development was visible

A Delhi court was on Saturday informed that an FIR has been lodged by city police on complaints against Ansal Hi Tech Township Pvt Ltd and its top officials, including Sushil Ansal, alleging cheating and duping of investors in a housing project.

Police told Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma that the FIR has been registered at a police station here for the alleged offences of cheating and criminal breach of trust.

The action was taken in pursuance to court's earlier order which was passed after going through the action taken report (ATR) filed by the police which disclosed "ex-facie commission of cognisable offences".

According to advocate Prateek Tanwar, appearing for the complainants, the court had noted in its order that field investigation by the police was required in the case.

14 investors said in their complaint that in 2008 the builder had come out with a plan to develop a township -- Sushant Magapolis -- in Greater Noida with an assurance of on-time compliance but nothing was done in five years.

The builder had assured the investors that all zonal plans have been approved and the township shall have self- sustained civic services with best of amenities, the complaint alleged.

There were several complainants who had booked plots, finalised the builder-buyer agreements and made payments to the builder, it said.

However, after over five years of booking, no sign of development was visible and the investors wrote several letters to the builder who did not respond, it alleged.

Neither the money was refunded to the complainants nor was the property delivered to them, following which the matter was reported to police, the complaint said.

Sushil Ansal was recently spared by the Supreme Court from serving jail term, due to his advanced age-related health problem, in connection with 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy case in which 59 people had lost their lives, while his brother was sent to jail for a year.