FIR ordered against Unitech for cheating buyers

Gurgaon, Feb 26 (IANS) Presiding the grievance committee meeting here Thursday, Haryana cabinet minister O.P. Dhankar ordered a police probe into the issue of realty firm Unitech allegedly cheating its buyers, an official said.

More than 30 customers from Unitech's The Residences project landed up at the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office to vent their grievance against Unitech.

On the directions of Dhankar, DC T.L. Satyaprakash ordered filing of complaint against Unitech and said the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the police will probe the matter.

Shikha Puri, a housewife and customer, broke down in front of the grievance committee saying: "I had to sell my jewellery to buy my home... I am now facing the brunt of spiralling rent and EMIs. With inflation at its all-time high, Unitech is doing nothing about it."

Customers complained to the committee that Unitech had launched The Residence project in Sector-33, Gurgaon in May 2009 and was to deliver 1,320 homes by December 2011 as per the agreement that Unitech had entered into with buyers.

Till date, only 90 flats have been delivered and more than 90 percent of the project remains in an abandoned state.

It has been more than six years and the developer has not started construction of the basement parking in spite of taking 85 to 95 percent payment from customer including parking charges.

It is pertinent to note that the developer had collected more than Rs.550 crore from this project by 2011.

Vikram Bishnoi, president RABA (Residences Apartments Buyers Association) cited flaws in the permission given to the builder and stated that the Department of Town Planning grants development licence for five years, which can be renewed by the developer for two years and another 1.5 years -- thereby giving them a platform to cheat customers legally.

He also brought up concerns related to poor construction quality as well and pointed a finger at the town and country planning department for willfully allowing the developer to do so.

In the meeting of the grievance committee, there were other buyer groups who complained about Unitech -- those present included RWAs of Nirvana, Uniworld Gardens - II and Fresco.

The committee directed the Unitech representative to commit timelines and monies that were to be deposited to the government. The official, however, blatantly replied that he was just an employee and was not authorised to take a decision.

After that, the committee directed the Commissioner of Police to file an FIR against the promoters of Unitech and probe the offences of Unitech for the complaints it had received.