Similar to the House of Cards housing scam in Vasai-Virar, the Karrm project, too, had obtained a MahaRERA registration number, which led to buyers developing trust in the project. Registration certificates obtained by unscrupulous builders based on bogus approvals have raised questions about MahaRERA’s lapses. Meanwhile, the developer of the Karrm projects moved the Bombay High Court for Anticipatory bail after it was rejected by the Sessions Court in June, this year.

Babanrao Miratkar, who invested in the Shahpur project, said, “Karrm projects’ MahaRERA registration on its official portal developed trust among buyers. The MahaRERA gave an extension to the developer without verifying the situation of the projects in Shahpur, Ambernath, and Kelwe Road in Palghar. Had MahaRERA done its due diligence, at least some buyers, who invested after seeing the projects’ registration, would have been saved from being cheated.” Miratkar wanted to submit an online complaint with MahaRERA but dropped the idea due to the R5,000 fee. “I could not afford the fee for submission of the complaint,” Miratkar said.