A Malad resident has been accused of committing fraud against Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik. The alleged cheating involved INR 7.66 crore in a land deal for a property located in Thane. The incident took place over a period from February 5, 2021, to July 25, 2023.
The accused identified as Martin Alex Bernard Korea, resides in Chincholi Bunder, Malad West. According to reports, MLA Pratap Sarnaik expressed interest in purchasing a 3,030-square-metre plot situated along Ghodbunder Road in Thane. As a part of the transaction, Sarnaik contacted Martin, who was the owner of the said land.
Shivaji Nale, an employee of Pratap Sarnaik, reported to the police that Martin accepted payments amounting to INR 4.16 crore from Sarnaik, with the amount being disbursed in several installments. Additionally, another INR 3.50 crore was paid to Korea's tenants as part of the deal.
But the transaction did not proceed as planned. It has been revealed that Martin Alex Bernard Korea failed to repay a loan acquired from the Citizen Co-op Bank. Furthermore, he neglected to complete the transaction and transfer the property's ownership into MLA Pratap Sarnaik's name, as initially agreed upon.
The Kashimira police took swift action and filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Martin Alex Bernard Korea. He now faces charges under sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the agreement, it was the responsibility of the seller, Korea, to settle any outstanding debts related to the property. However, investigations showed that Korea had not fulfilled its obligations. This has left Sarnaik with INR 1.8 crore in bank debt. As a result, Pratap Sarnaik lodged a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
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