Published 21:29 IST, January 4th 2024
Fake documents case: UP woman arrested for duping flat buyers of Rs 5 crore
The UP woman reportedly made use of shell companies and fake documents to fool flat buyers looking to purchase property in Haryana's Sonipat.

NEW DELHI: A 40-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh has been arrested on the charge of cheating flat buyers interested looking to purchase properties in Haryana's Sonipat. According to a PTI report, the accused, Rashmi Rathi, a resident of Bulandshahr, allegedly took money from buyers and provided them with falsified ownership documents in return. Rathi was reportedly working as a front-office coordinator for Max Heights Promoters Private Limited and was, according to the police, fully involved in client service, frequently reaching out to flat owners for recovery of payments and dues.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) Surendra Choudhary, Rathi created several shell companies to carry out her plans, using them to pay and receive payments from buyers and sellers while issuing fake no-objection certificates. These shell companies, alongside her account and that of her sister were also used to carry out small transactions in order to settle the sub-ledgers of different flats. Moreover, in regard to the fabricated documents she gave to house buyers, Rathi made use of company stationary, including rubber stamps and letter heads, for her scam.
Police were alerted to her activities as a result of a complaint registered against her by a flat buyer who purchased a flat in the Max Heights Dream Homes project in Sonipat. After taking possession of the flat, the complainant, a woman, expressed interest in buying another flat that was up for sale for Rs 17 lakh. She was advised by two persons, Arun Rathi and Prateek Rathi, to approach the accused Rashmi Rathi. The complainant then subsequently paid Rs 12 lakh in cash to Rathi alongside Rs 5 lakh via RTGS.
Following this payment, the woman was subsequently handed over the keys to the flats. However, the directors of the company denied the receipt of money and refused to handover ownership rights to the woman through official registration. Moreover, during the investigation, it was found that the actual allotees of the flats had received allotment letters from Max Heights Promoters Private Limited and had never gotten in touch with Rashmi Rathi to re-sell their flats.
All the same, Rashmi Rathi sold their flats using forged documents and netted over Rs 5 crore which she deposited in two bank accounts.
While the accused did attempt to run, she was apprehended in Bulandshahr on Monday according to the authorities.
Updated 21:30 IST, January 4th 2024