Actor Samir Kochhar, Karishma Tanna's husband Varun Bangera `duped' by builder

Mumbai, Nov 22 (PTI) Mumbai Police has registered a case against a builder couple for allegedly duping actor Samir Kochhar and actor Karishma Tanna's husband Varun Bangera of more than Rs 1 crore after taking advance payment from them for two flats, an official said on Wednesday.

Based on a complaint filed by Kochhar, a First Information Report was registered against Pronit Nath and his wife Amisha Nath at Andheri police station in the city under Indian Penal Code sections 120(B) (conspiracy), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating), he said.

As per the FIR, the Nath couple were constructing a four-storey building at Pali Village in suburban Bandra (West).

Kochhar allegedly entered into an agreement with the Naths to buy a flat for Rs 1.95 crore and paid Rs 58.5 lakh while Bangera decided to buy a flat for Rs 90 lakh and paid the couple Rs 44.66 lakh as booking amount.

In June 2022, Pronit Nath allegedly assured Kochhar and Bangera through WhatsApp messages that the construction will be complete in three months.

A year passed, and on June 23, 2023, Nath allegedly informed them that he was not interested in selling the flats and he would refund the booking amount, the FIR said.

Kochhar and Bangera then found that the flats had been sold to one Sachet Pandey through another MoU.

Kochhar on Tuesday approached the Andheri Police Station and lodged a complaint against Pronit Nath and his wife, claiming that they cheated him and Bangera by not abiding by the agreement to hand over constructed flats.

They have also moved the high court over the issue, as per the complaint.

No arrest has been made yet and further probe was on, the official said. PTI DC KRK