The Delhi Police's Economic Offence Wing has issued a notice to Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the founder and managing director of Dubai-based Emaar Properties, asking him to appear before it on Friday for questioning in a case of alleged forgery and criminal breach of trust involving a housing project in Gurugram.
When contacted by PTI, a spokesperson of Emaar India admitted that they have received the notice.
"The matter pertains to a civil case filed by a few homebuyers against banks from whom they had availed loans for properties worth approx Rs 1 crore, where Emaar officials have been made a party to the matter," the spokesperson said.
According to the police notice, Alabbar, who is one of the directors of the real estate firm's India subsidiary -- Emaar India Limited -- along with three other senior officer bearers in the country, have been asked to appear before it for questioning in the case.
The notice to Alabbar issued on May 26, read, "It is informed that the case (regarding Palm Garden Project) is being investigated by Section IV of the Economic Offence Wing, Delhi Police, New Delhi.
"This case is being investigated against M/s EMAAR India Ltd, previously known as EMAAR MGF Land Limited and its directors for their housing project "Palm Garden" situated at village Kherki Daula, Sector 83, Gurugram."
Stating that Alabbar's name is mentioned in the FIR as an accused and supposing that he is acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case about the launch/booking in the project, the notice, issued by the investigating officer, added, "I hereby inform you that it is reasonable ground to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you in relation to the present investigation." He has been asked to appear at the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EoW) office at 2.30 pm on June 2.
The EoW initiated an investigation after a homebuyer, Manish Kumar Patni, in an FIR on January 30, alleged that Emaar India Limited committed forgery and criminal breach of trust among other offences in selling apartments in their "Palm Gardens" real estate project. According to the FIR, the project was launched in 2010 and the company promised to deliver the housing units to the buyers by September- December of 2015.
Patni alleged that the company collected money from buyers and diverted it for other purposes leading to an inordinate delay in the completion of the project. He also alleged in the FIR that the company misrepresented the layout plan, didn't have requisite permission and approvals from the authorities concerned at the time of selling the apartments and made false promises to the homebuyers with the sole purpose to cheat them. The complainant has also named some banks and financial institutions in the FIR, accusing them of being in hand-in-glove with the real estate company.
The Emaar India spokesperson said the dispute was primarily of civil nature. "We are following the due process of law and extending our full support and cooperation for a fair and just investigation into the matter," the spokesperson added.
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