Hebbal Police Register FIR Against Two for Duping 35 Housing Investors

The Hebbal Police have registered a cheating case against Syeda Asma Zaved and Mumtaz Fahim for allegedly duping 35 investors of lakhs of rupees under the false promise of constructing apartments in Hebbal. Out of the 35 victims, 30 are single women or widows who lost their savings.

The first information report (FIR) was registered following a complaint filed by Sabiha Farzana, one of the victims. According to the FIR, Syeda Asma Zaved, the wife of a retired IFS officer, and Mumtaz Fahim allegedly convinced victims to invest money in an apartment complex construction project starting in 2014.

To gain the trust of the investors, the accused issued post-dated cheques. However, when the victims tried to cash them, they discovered the accused had instructed the bank branch managers to stop the payments. Instead of delivering the flats or returning the money, the accused allegedly threatened the victims over the years.

Prior to filing the police complaint, the victims approached Karnataka State Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh, who represents the Hebbal Assembly constituency. Minister Suresh advised Zaved and Fahim to arrange repayments to the complainants, but no refunds materialized.

Several victims have shared details of their financial losses. One complainant stated she paid Rs 73 lakh in cash to the accused, raising the funds by withdrawing Rs 35 lakh from a private chit fund, leasing out two houses for Rs 30 lakh, and borrowing the rest.

Another victim, Rafeeq S, a painting contractor, lost Rs 35 lakh. He paid Rs 25 lakh for a flat and stood as a legal guarantee for Rs 10 lakh. Zaved issued two cheques for Rs 10 lakh, but the bank manager informed Rafeeq that the payment had been stopped. Rafeeq's son was also convinced to invest Rs 10 lakh.

Asha, a homemaker from Kaval Byrasandra, paid Rs 20 lakh to the accused. She stated that as a single woman with no shelter, she paid her hard-earned money expecting a flat in return.

The Hebbal Police registered the FIR under Sections 318(2), 318(4), 316(2), 352, 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023.