Ahmedabad Fraudster Arrested for Duping House Seekers with Fake Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Possession Papers

Ahmedabad Police have arrested Mehboob Hussain alias Babubhai Asgar Hussain Shaikh for defrauding three victims of ₹7.18 lakh by issuing forged Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) possession letters, fake Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) files, and counterfeit AUDA letterheads in the Vasna area.

The suspect was presented before the Judicial Magistrate Court, which granted a five-day police remand following arguments presented by public prosecutor P.V. Prajapati.

Scam Exposed After Victims Denied Possession

The racket came to light after Rekhaben Kailashbhai Dabhi, a resident of Vasna, lodged an official complaint at the Vasna Police Station. According to the complaint, Dabhi's relative Chhaganbhai approached her on March 18, 2026, claiming that Mehboob Hussain could secure a housing unit at Sanatan Residency under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme.

Dabhi contacted the accused, who collected ₹1.50 lakh in cash upfront alongside passport-sized photographs and personal identity documents. Over time, Hussain extracted a total of ₹2 lakh from Dabhi while handing over forged municipal corporation files, forged AUDA possession letters, and fake payment receipts.

When Dabhi pressed for physical possession of the house, the suspect evaded her calls. Dabhi then contacted Chhaganbhai, who revealed that he had also been cheated by Hussain. Investigation revealed that the accused had similarly defrauded Ravinaben Akashbhai Solanki of ₹2.44 lakh and Priyaben Bharatbhai Charan of ₹2.74 lakh using identical methods.

Court Grants 5-Day Custodial Interrogation

Following his arrest, Vasna Police sought a five-day remand to investigate the broader scope of the operation. Public prosecutor P.V. Prajapati informed the court that the accused is a habitual offender with a history of targeting needy citizens under the pretext of allocating government housing.

Hussain already faces seven previous criminal cases registered across Kagdapith, Vadaj, Shahibaug, and Airport police stations.

Arguing for custodial remand, the prosecutor stressed the need to:

• Recover the defrauded sum of ₹7.18 lakh from the accused.
• Identify the sources and accomplices who produced fake municipal files, AUDA possession letters, bank slips, and receipts.
• Investigate assets accumulated by the suspect through habitual criminal activities.
• Overcome non-cooperation from the accused during initial questioning.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the Judicial Magistrate granted the five-day police custody order.