Mumbai: Builder Moves Court For Pre-Arrest Bail After SRA Fraud FIR Over Occupancy Certificate, PAP Flats
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, July 25, 2026: A developer of an SRA rehabilitation project in Mulund has approached the Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail after a criminal case was registered against him for allegedly handing over flats without obtaining an Occupancy Certificate (OC), failing to transfer Project Affected Persons (PAP) flats to the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), and allowing unauthorised occupation of the building.
Vijay Panchal, director of M/s Yashraj Corporation and developer of Shivchandra SRA Co-operative Housing Society, has filed an anticipatory bail application before the Mumbai Sessions Court. The matter is scheduled to be heard on June 27.
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FIR Registered By SRA Engineer
The case was registered by the Navghar Police on the complaint of Sachin Narayan Gaikwad (37), a Deputy Engineer with the Engineering Department of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Mumbai.
The FIR invokes Section 53 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, the accused allegedly endangered the lives and property of occupants by permitting them to reside in the building without mandatory statutory approvals.
They have also been accused of criminal breach of trust and cheating the SRA as well as eligible slum dwellers by failing to hand over PAP rehabilitation flats.
The Shivchandra SRA Co-operative Housing Society project is located at Gavhanpada in Mulund (East) and has been developed on a 728.28-square metre plot. M/s Design Crest is the project's architect, while M/s Yashraj Corporation is the developer. The scheme comprises a rehabilitation building (Wing A) and a sale component (Wing B), both of which have been completed.
Alleged Project Violations
During an inspection, the SRA found that residents had occupied the buildings despite the developer not obtaining an Occupancy Certificate. It also found that nine PAP flats had not been transferred to the SRA as required under the rehabilitation scheme.
The FIR states that the developer was issued notices under Sections 53(1) and 53(6)(b) of the MRTP Act on April 1, 2026, and May 4, 2026, directing compliance. However, the alleged violations continued.
Investigators have further alleged that Vijay Panchal and other persons associated with the project allowed occupation of both the rehabilitation and sale components without securing the Occupancy Certificate, lift completion certificate, and other mandatory approvals. Authorities contend that these omissions posed a serious risk to residents' safety.
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The FIR also alleges that by failing to transfer the PAP flats and instead allowing their unauthorised allotment and occupation, the accused cheated the Slum Rehabilitation Authority and violated the conditions governing the rehabilitation project.
A senior police officer confirmed that the investigation is underway.
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