BMC Officer Absconds After Suspension In Rs 16 Cr Fraud Case Linked to Jaaved Jaaferi’s Wife

A senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official has been suspended and has since been absconding after being accused of orchestrating a multi-crore fraud targeting Habiba Jaaferi, the wife of actor Jaaved Jaaferi. Mahesh Patil, who served as Assistant Commissioner in BMC’s K-North ward, allegedly used his official position to gain the family’s confidence before drawing them into a fraudulent property redevelopment scheme. The total amount allegedly siphoned stands at Rs 16.24 crore. After the fraud came to light, a suspension order was issued on June 5 and was served on him on June 7, according to a report by India Today. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch is currently investigating the case. They have taken over the case from the Mumbai Police. 

How The Alleged Fraud Was Executed

Patil, who worked in the K-North ward, first contacted the Jaaferi family over a property tax dispute related to their Andheri bungalow. Once trust was established, Patil allegedly steered Habiba Jaaferi toward investing in a commercial redevelopment project in Bandra West called New Kamalkunj, dangling promises of guaranteed high returns and assured possession by December 2025. This came with a pre-lease agreement supposedly backed by a foreign bank, NDTV reported. 

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Businessman Nishit Patel, a co-accused, backed Pail by claiming major builders were already on board and that significant funds had already been deployed.

To make the scheme appear legitimate, investigators say the accused presented an elaborate trail of forged materials – fabricated documents, fake maps, letters, and even manufactured videos and images of the proposed project. They also used equipment designed to resemble official government devices to conduct fake registration procedures, collecting photographs, signatures, and fingerprints before handing over forged paperwork as proof.

Funds collected from the family were allegedly routed through multiple shell-like entities, including Poojan Technologies, Udit Traders, Asian Foods, and RPPL Multi Trade.

FIR Filed At Khar Police Station

An FIR has been registered at Khar Police Station naming Patil, Nishit Patel, and several others, including Rupesh, Sagar Mehta, and Devendra Padwal. During questioning, Patel reportedly admitted to fabricating the documents.

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Investigators are also examining whether additional victims were targeted using the same scheme, and say more arrests cannot be ruled out as the financial trail continues to be mapped.

According to an India Today report, this is not the first time Patil has faced scrutiny over the same project. He was placed on compulsory leave for a month in November last year after questions were raised about his alleged financial involvement in the Bandra redevelopment scheme. He denied any wrongdoing at the time. 

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