Mumbai: A Mumbai-based businessman has accused a city builder of duping him of over Rs 3.10 crore in an allegedly fraudulent flat sale at the Ison Heights project in Lower Parel, after waiting nearly a decade for possession. Following the complaint, the N. M. Joshi Marg Police have registered a case of cheating against Ishwarlal Lakhada of Hatadiya Builders Pvt. Ltd.

According to the FIR, the complainant, Champat Suthar, 49, who runs a glass business and resides in Chinchpokli (East), was looking to buy a new flat in 2014. Through a mutual business contact, he was introduced to real estate agent Champalal Jain, who showed him an under-construction project called Ison Heights, being developed by Hatadiya Builders Pvt. Ltd. on N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel.

Jain assured Suthar that 14 floors of the building had already been completed and possession would be given within the next 18 months. Impressed with the property during a site visit, Suthar agreed to proceed with the purchase and was introduced to builder Ishwarlal Lakhada, a resident of Aditya Building, Sikka Nagar, V. P. Road, Mumbai.

A deal was finalized for Flat No. 702 on the 7th floor at a total cost of Rs 2.46 crore — Rs 2.36 crore for the flat and Rs 10 lakh for a parking slot. Between April 16, 2014 and August 18, 2016, Suthar claims to have paid Rs 1.12 crore via cheques and another Rs 1.30 crore in cash, totaling Rs 2.42 crore.

However, according to the complaint, Lakhada started avoiding the flat agreement process after receiving the payments.

In 2017 and 2018, the construction of the project came to a standstill. Work resumed in January 2019, prompting Suthar to once again follow up with the builder, who then allegedly demanded additional payments. Suthar transferred an additional Rs 67.82 lakh via cheques to Hatadiya Builders account.

By April 8, 2024, the total amount paid by Suthar had reached Rs 3.10 crore. Lakhada had reportedly promised to hand over the flat by September 2024, but failed to do so. After multiple follow-ups yielded no response, Suthar sent a legal notice on March 8, 2025, demanding possession within 15 days. With no reply from the builder, Suthar approached the N. M. Joshi Marg Police.

Based on the complaint, police have booked Ishwarlal Lakhada under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigation is underway.

Mumbai, Oct 1: Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded that the Maharashtra government immediately provide Rs 50,000 per hectare compensation to farmers and a special scheme on the lines of Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana should be introduced to rebuild the houses damaged in rural areas due to heavy rains and floods in Marathwada and rest of the state. “So, is the BJP-led government waiting for all the farmers to join the Bharatiya Janata Party to waive off these loans?” he taunted.

He slammed the Maharashtra government for not announcing crop loan waiver despite repeated demands by farmers and the Opposition parties.

“If the government is taking a guarantee of hundreds of thousands of crores of sugar tycoons after they join the BJP, meaning if they default on their loans, the government will pay that money, meaning the general public will pay.

“Maharashtra is facing a crisis of heavy rains. I have also requested the government with folded hands that we can all come together and find a way out of this crisis without bringing politics into it. But the government does not seem to be ready for that. The Chief Minister is busy with publicity. One Deputy Chief Minister is busy distributing aid packets with his own photos printed on them. Another Deputy Chief Minister is not visible. When any issue comes up, this other Deputy Chief Minister is never seen, the people are left in the lurch,” claimed Thackeray without naming CM Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

He further expressed displeasure over banks serving notices to farmers for the recovery of debt, saying that it will further hit growers badly.

“Farmers cannot get loans without mortgaging something. The government never guarantees their loans. Today, the situation is such that their crops along with the land have been destroyed and they are dying under the burden of debt. There are reports of farmers committing suicide every day,” Uddhav Thackeray remarked.

Thackeray also read out the letter written by Devendra Fadnavis in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition to him on October 16, 2020 during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s tenure, demanding the declaration of a wet drought. He also demanded that the MahaYuti government should now declare wet drought.

“Call it a wet drought or a drought of your imagination, whatever you call it, the farmers are in trouble today. The farmers should be immediately provided with assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare. A new rural scheme like the PMAY must be announced soon,” Uddhav Thackeray demanded.

“Instead of using the word “wet drought”, I (as Chief Minister) used the word “disaster-hit”. How can you deny the crisis because there is no mention of wet drought. Can you deny the damage caused because the term “wet drought” is not in the government manual. Do words sometimes change according to the status of people? Let’s not play with useless words. The central team has not yet come to the state. Everything is being done ruthlessly by conducting inspections and panchnamas,” Uddhav Thackeray pointed out.

Thackeray said that the government should not make paper horses dance during the present crisis. “Schools in flood-affected areas should be opened immediately, there is a problem of spread of diseases. The Prime Minister is providing free food grains to 80 crore people of the country, but the one who grows all this has been devastated. In many places, farmlands have been washed away, roads have been washed away, the government should pay immediate attention. The government is not working,” Uddhav Thackeray claimed.

Thackeray also criticised the Maharashtra government for its decision to cut Rs 5 per tonne from sugarcane farmers and Rs 10 per tonne for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund making it a total of Rs 15 per tonne.

“You have given amnesty to sugar tycoons, we are demanding crop loan waiver for the poor farmers. The time has come for the farmers to mortgage their land and ‘mangalsutras’. Currently, the farmers are burdened with debt due to the loss of crops and they have been further burdened with the cut of Rs 15 per tonne,” he said.

Mumbai: Mumbaikars are never tired of celebrating the festivities as their own wedding. After 9 nights of Navratri, one of India’s most celebrated festival – Dussehra, symbolising the victory of good over evil, is celebrated by Mumbaikars in local trains. People are seen dancing, decorating, singing and sharing food in local trains. These auspicious festivals bring everyone together, making the festival more memorable and joyous.

A video of Dussehra celebration inside local train has surfaced on social media. The viral video shows Mumbaikars giving their touch of celebration to their very own local trains by decorating the coaches with colourful ribbons and balloons from the inside, and outside of the trains are decorated with garlands of flowers, posters, images of gods and goddess related to the festival and singing Bhajans in unity related to the festival, making it more special.

Passengers are seen helping the volunteers hang the ribbons on the wall and performing small pujas on the railway tracks in front of the train engine. This is because it is believed that worshiping any metal instruments, like vehicles or any other tools (called Ayudha Puja) is an act of respect for these things that have helped us make our life smooth. For Mumbaikars, local trains are the most vital mode that have helped them travel faster and reach their destination with ease.

The local trains are more than a mode of transport for civilians, it is also referred as the heart of Mumbai. A platform where millions of lives intersect daily, vanishing barriers of caste, language and class. These auspicious festivals like Dussehra reminds us of the unity and the connect between individuals, that urges everyone to celebrate festivals with each other.

It is seen how people have carried ladoos, pedhas and prasads for distributing to other passengers and railway staff. They are not only sharing food, but also the joy and vibrant energy with others. Women and men dressed in their traditional attires are seen dancing on the platform, playing garba and fugdi- making the platform a cultural place.

This welcoming nature of people living in Mumbai and celebrating each festival with same level of excitement never lets people from out of Mumbai feel homesick.

Celebration of Dussehra in Mumbai locals is not just about flowers, decorations and dance – it is about the togetherness. Just how Dussehra is about good over evil, celebrating festivals with each other reminds us of Mumbai choosing unity over division.