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Blacklist erring builders, penalise auditors: MahaRERA told by residents’ association

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According to the association, the regulator also ensures that the brand image of the erring developers remains unaffected by not revealing their names, which puts homebuyers at risk.

Mumbai: The Cooperative Societies Residents Users and Welfare Association (CSRUWA) has raised a flag against Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) stating that the regulator is going soft on thousands of errant builders who repeatedly are violating various rules.

According to the association, the regulator also ensures that the brand image of the erring developers remains unaffected by not revealing their names, which puts homebuyers at risk.

Purchasers shaken by flouting of laws and blatant violations of MahaRERA

President CSRUWA Advocate Vinod C Sampat said, “Faith of thousands of flat purchasers is shaken in view of flouting of laws and blatant violations of MahaRERA, specifically with regards to the investment of funds in separate bank accounts of 1,781 developers.”

The law stipulates that the developer has to maintain an escrow account to deposit 70% of the amount received from the buyers, without creating any third-party rights on it. Yet 1,781 realtors have not complied with the law.

Secondly, over 5,700 projects worth Rs1,13,023 crore in Maharashtra have lapsed. In these projects, 4,08,350 apartments were booked, putting the home buyers in a quandary.

16,000 show-cause notices sent to developers

This month over 16,000 show-cause notices have been sent for the second time to the developers who did not respond to the one sent in January. Of the around 19,500 developers only about 18% or 3,500 acted on the legal communication issued by MahaRERA.

There are also 261 projects wherein less than 40% of work has been achieved and the promoters are about to run out of money or have given unrealistic possession deadlines of December 2023.

In another instance, 14 builders had advertised their projects without the mandatory MahaRERA registration number.

The association demands that such law-violating promoters, developers, as well as auditors, should be blacklisted and they should be penalised 5% of the project cost.

Crores of rupees of buyers at stake

“Several crores of Rupees of buyers is at stake in the realty projects. The flat purchasers look upon MahaRERA authorities to protect their interest. Unfortunately, the faith of the flat purchaser is shaken in view of the builder’s lobby openly flouting the laws, particularly laws related to MahaRERA,” added advocate Sampat.

Moreover, even the orders in favour of the home purchasers given by MahaRERA are often not honoured by the developers.

In view of such gross violations that continue to occur even six years since its establishment, MahaRERA is also referred to as a toothless tiger.

Crime

CBI court sentences former Punjab cops in 2007 sex scandal

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Chandigarh, April 7: A CBI court in Mohali on Monday sentenced Punjab’s former Senior Superintendent of Police Devinder Singh Garcha and former Superintendent of Police, Headquarters, Paramdip Singh Sandhu to five years of rigorous imprisonment each, in connection with the 2007 sex scandal in Moga.

Besides the imprisonment under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the court imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each.

Garcha and Sandhu were arrested and charged with blackmailing influential persons to extort money.

Former Inspector Amarjit Singh was sentenced to six-and-a-half years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 2.5 lakh, while former Sub-Inspector Raman Kumar was sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 3 lakh.

Both were found guilty of implicating prominent businessmen in a false gangrape case to extort money from them.

CBI Special Judge Rakesh Gupta pronounced the verdict after convicting Garcha, Sandhu, Raman Kumar, and Amarjit Singh under Sections 13(1) (D) and 13 (2) of the PC Act on March 29.

Besides corruption, Raman Kumar was also convicted of extortion, while Amarjit Singh was convicted of attempting extortion.

The CBI court acquitted Barjinder Singh, alias Makhan, the son of former Punjab minister Tota Singh, and Sukhraj Singh of all the charges.

The CBI took over the probe on the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s direction on December 11, 2007. A day later, the central probe agency registered a fresh FIR in the case.

The sex scandal involved high-profile politicians and senior police officials extorting rich people by trapping them in a flesh trade case.

As per the investigation, the accused public servants abused their positions and entered into a criminal conspiracy to obtain undue pecuniary gain by corrupt and illegal means.

According to the charge sheet, two women, including Manjit Kaur, in connivance with the police officers and Barjinder Singh, extorted money from influential people by threatening to frame them in sexual abuse cases if they refused to pay up.

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National

J&K L-G gives assent to three bills passed by Assembly

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Jammu, April 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was informed on Monday that Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has given assent to three bills passed by the House earlier.

Manoj Kumar Pandit, secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, informed the House that three Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly were assented to by the Lt Governor on March 25.

The Secretary read out in the House: “Three Bills, passed by the Legislative Assembly, have been assented to by the Lieutenant Governor on the 25th of March, 2025. The Bills include The Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 1 of 2025), The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 2 of 2025) and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 3 of 2025).”

The House resumed question hour after ruckus marred the proceedings in the morning, forcing Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.

National Conference MLAs Nazir Gurezi and Tanvir Sadiq demanded that the question hour be deferred to allow a discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act.

The demand was supported by Congress, PDP and some other members, while the BJP opposed the move.

The Speaker ruled that since the matter is sub judice, he cannot allow a debate on the subject.

Former Chief Minister and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti termed the rejection of the adjournment motion on the Waqf Amendment Act “profoundly disappointing” and accused the NC government of yielding to the BJP’s “anti-Muslim” agenda.

“It’s profoundly disappointing that the speaker J&K Assembly has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill. Despite securing a strong mandate, the government appears to have completely yielded to the BJP’s anti-Muslim agenda, cynically attempting to appease both sides,” Mehbooba Mufti wrote in her post on X.

Senior religious and separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also criticised the Speaker’s decision. The Mirwaiz said on X: “It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti Wakf resolution in it’s assembly, while the Muslim majority J&K assembly speaker is struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerting issue for the Muslims of the state. The speaker would know that the strong peoples mandate given to his party was precisely for the reason that the party had promised to safeguard the interests of the people being trampled upon since August 2019 and take a stand for them in critical matters. Why is he capitulating so meekly?”

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Business

Google to empower 20 AI-powered Indian startups

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New Delhi, April 7: Tech giant Google on Monday announced that it is all set to empower 20 Indian startups through the second edition of its ‘Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps’ programme.

The initiative, supported by Google Play, is designed to help app-based startups in India make the most of artificial intelligence (AI) and scale their products effectively.

The programme is being run in collaboration with the MeitY Startup Hub, whose support, Google said, has played a key role in extending the reach and impact of the initiative.

In a statement, Google said India’s startup and developer ecosystem is a ‘hotbed of innovation’ and the company is proud to support its growth.

With the accelerator, the US-based tech major aims to equip emerging app startups with cutting-edge AI tools, expert guidance, and mentorship from its top engineers and researchers.

The programme will run for three months and is open to Indian startups that are already using AI or are looking to integrate AI into their apps.

“To be eligible, startups must have a published app on the Play Store, be incorporated in India, and be funded between Seed and Series-A stage,” said Paul Ravindranath, Programme Manager, Google for Startups Accelerator India.

The second cohort will focus heavily on AI, recognising its growing importance in the future of app development.

Through personalised mentorship and collaboration with Google experts, these startups will receive support to improve their AI capabilities, enhance user experience, strengthen security, and accelerate user growth.

Google highlighted that the first cohort of 20 startups saw major progress in technology, design, and engagement, thanks to hands-on mentorship and access to Google’s resources.

The upcoming cohort will also benefit from similar support, including custom reports to help them perform better on Google Play.

Applications are open until May 15 and the programme will begin in July with a week-long bootcamp. During the application period, interested startups can also attend weekly virtual open forums every Thursday to learn more and ask questions, according to the company.

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