Crime Branch busts interstate property fraud racket, 5 held

Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has busted a high-value interstate property fraud racket that duped a woman of Rs 12.04 crore. The accused sold her a non-existent luxury apartment in DLF Camellias, Gurugram. The police have arrested five key accused, including the alleged mastermind, Mohit Gogia.

Apart from them, police are still searching for other conspirators, including Ram Singh, alias Babaji, who is believed to be the main handler of the syndicate.

The racket is linked to property fraud worth over Rs 200 crore across several states. The accused allegedly used forged bank auction documents and fake sale certificates to lure victims with promises of premium properties at throwaway prices.

The Crime Branch registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said the case involved “a well-organised network that prepared fake bank auction papers and rotated cheated money through multiple accounts to hide the trail.” He said efforts were on to arrest the remaining accused and recover the cheated funds.

The case came to light after a complaint was received on June 13, 2025. The complainant alleged that Mohit Gogia and his firm, MG Leasing & Finance, showed her documents claiming a flat in DLF Camellias had been bought in a bank auction and could be transferred to her. Trusting the documents, she transferred Rs 12.04 crore through RTGS and demand drafts between August and October 2024.

Later, the bank confirmed that all documents shown to her, including sale certificates and auction receipts, were forged. Investigators found that the money was credited to accounts linked to the accused and then syphoned off through a web of firms and individuals.

After tracking bank records and technical data, Crime Branch teams traced Mohit Gogia while he was fleeing from Mumbai towards Uttarakhand. He was arrested on November 22 near Doiwala on the Rishikesh-Dehradun Road. During interrogation, he disclosed the names of his associates and the larger network involved.

Based on his disclosure, four more accused were arrested. Vishal Malhotra and Sachin Gulati were held for allowing their bank accounts to be used to launder the cheated money. Police said both withdrew large sums and passed on cash to Ram Singh, alias Babaji, for commission. Gulati has a previous cheating case on record.

Abhinav Pathak, who introduced the complainant to the main accused and helped close the deal, was also arrested. Bharat Chhabra was arrested for assisting in preparing forged documents on his laptop.

Police said the accused followed a fixed pattern. They identified high-end properties, created fake mortgage or auction papers, promised quick possession and routed money through layered bank accounts. The funds were further circulated through Babaji Finance on high interest, generating profits for the syndicate.

Two cars bought with the cheated money and allegedly used by the absconding Ram Singh have been recovered. Police have also placed liens on several bank accounts linked to the accused and are scanning others. Investigators said Mohit Gogia alone is named in at least 16 cases across Delhi, Punjab, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh. The Crime Branch believes several more victims are yet to come forward.

 “This is a major breakthrough,” a senior officer said. “The scale of the fraud shows how organised property scams are targeting people seeking luxury homes. We are working to dismantle the entire network.”