BENGALURU: Shahid Habib, a Canadian citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), alleges he was duped of Rs 21 lakh by realtor and JDS leader R Prabhakhar Reddy, in connection with land in Chamundeshwari Layout Phase-2 in Bengaluru South. His bigger grouse is that Bengaluru police are refusing to file an FIR, despite his repeated attempts over three years.
His latest complaint was lodged last month with the Commissioner of Police and Canada High Commission in India. Habib has shared documents of all his communication. Reddy, owner of Sai Realtors Group, was arrested by City Crime Branch in land-grab cases in February this year, and CCB police said some other people had also come forward to file cases of cheating against him.
His five premises were raided and many sale deeds seized. Habib said, "The whole piece of Survey no. 79 and sub-layout of about 10 plots in Bettadasanapura, which was to have my plot as well as one belonging to my friend, was sold to us with bogus documents. The original owner later took possession of the properties."
“I complained about it to the Commissioner and DCP South East, who acknowledged my complaint but did not take action for three years. Koramangala police did not file an FIR but suggested I get an alternative site from Reddy. The realtor is offering me other illegal sites. Police told me property fraud was a civil case and an FIR cannot be registered,” he charged.
Complaints have been despatched to the Karnataka government, State Human Rights Commissioner, NRI forum, RERA, and RTI info sought, but no one is helping because of the political clout commanded by the realtor, Habib charged. He shared records of all his complaints and responses with The New Indian Express.
"When I spoke to Reddy long ago and told him about the police complaints I had filed, he coolly said he was not afraid of such complaints and had many pending against him," he said. In June 2020, he promised to return the money but that never happened.
This reporter made repeated calls to the numerous phone numbers Reddy is said to keep changing. His son picked up one of the calls and claimed Reddy was not around, and that he did not know Reddy’s present number. The call was passed to another family member, who said Reddy would call the reporter later. The call never came. Officials contacted in the police department expressed ignorance about the matter.