http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/FIR-filed-against-builder-after-non-veg-Marathi-man-denied-flat/articleshow/47529534.cms
FIR filed against builder after 'non-veg' Marathi man denied flat V Narayan,TNN | Jun 3, 2015, 05.56 PM IST MUMBAI: A first information report (FIR) is registered on Tuesday with the Malad police station against a real estate developer and his sales manager for allegedly denied a Goregaon resident to buy a flat in a "veg-only" under-construction residential building. The case has been registered after the police conducted on the Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police order after the complainant Vaibhav Rahate protested against the indiscrimination faced at the hands of the developer and his manager on May 4. Spokesperson for the Shrinathji Group of developers said they are going to lend complete support and cooperation in the police investigation. The spokesperson said these allegations are absolutely incorrect and is a conspiracy against us for reasons best known them. "We are cooperating with the Police Department in their investigations and have already filed our say in our statement in this matter," spokesperson Sagar Bekal told TOI on Wednesday. Bekal, earlier told TOI, they were not comfortable dealing with Rahate due to his approach. The manner in which he spoke made our staff sceptical. "We need to develop a rapport with our clients during a transaction. We have already sold a flats in the project to a Sindhi buyer and a shop to a Punjabi buyer. Besides, one of the directors of our company is Maharashtrian," he said earlier. Rahate said the case was registered on Tuesday against the builder Rajesh Mehta (47) and his manager Varun Mehta (29) for denying to sell the flat because he is a non-vegetarian. The 27-year-old complainant was taken aback to learn that he couldn't buy a flat as he was a "Maharashtrian". Both the Mehta of Shrinathji Group of developers has been booked under the Indian Penal Code section. No arrest has been made so far. The case pressure was built up by the Malad MLA Aslam Shaikh and the city Congress president Sanjay Nirupam, demonstrated protest outside the police station on May 29 to take speedy action in lodging the FIR. Rahate, a dealer in used cars, lives in Goregaon and wanted to book a 1-BHK for his sister. On May 4, he went to the under-construction Celestial Heights on SV Road. TOI is in possession of the FIR that is filed against the developer. "I was directed to the site office where I met a staffer named Varun. He asked my name and asked me to wait outside for a few minutes. Half an hour later, he met me again. I asked him about the property rates and area, as well as a brochure. But Varun flatly told me the flats were not available for sale to Maharashtrians, Muslims and other non-vegetarian buyers. He said the developers preferred only Gujarati and Marwari buyers. I was aghast and asked if we were supposed to change our dietary habits if we wanted to buy a flat," Rahate told TOI. Rahate immediately approached the Malad police and got his statement recorded but the police failed to take any action for 25 days. "It is only on Tuesday the case was registered. The case was registered after zonal DCP Vikram Deshmane instructed the Malad cops to conduct an inquiry and file an FIR," Rahate told TOI. Malad senior inspector Milind Khetale said the FIR has been lodged and action will be taken after they collect necessary evidence regarding the matter. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
