High-Profile Arrest in ₹1.56 Core Land Scam: Patang Hotel Owner, Ahmedabad Builder Umang Thakkar Nabbed by Surat Police

In a major breakthrough in the Kholvad real estate fraud case, Surat’s Kamrej Police have arrested Umang Thakkar, the high-profile builder and owner of Ahmedabad’s iconic revolving Patang Hotel. Thakkar, along with partners Neel Thakkar and Kantha Thakkar of Satya Sankalp Buildcon LLP, was booked after a local buyer was duped into purchasing a land plot that had already been transferred to another individual years prior.

Following extensive raids across Ahmedabad and Surat, police teams tracked down and apprehended the developer. He is currently in police custody as investigators probe the full financial footprint of the project.

How the Kholvad Plot Scam Unravelled

The arrest stems from a detailed criminal complaint filed by 36-year-old Surat resident Pushpakbhai Dineshbhai Patel. In 2025, the accused aggressively marketed an affordable plotting venture named "Sahajanand Nirvana" in Kholvad village using widespread hoardings and print advertisements.

Convinced by the promotional pitch and direct telephone discussions with Umang Thakkar, Patel booked a plot in his wife’s name and transferred ₹65.59 lakh in structured instalments. However, when Patel approached local revenue authorities to finalize the property transfer, land records revealed that the exact parcel of land had already been sold in 2018 to a buyer named Deepakbhai Nagjibhai Patel.

Subsequent enquiries by Kamrej Police exposed multiple serious infractions:

• Duplicate Allocation: The land was sold to a third party seven years before the developers collected booking funds from new buyers.
• Unlicensed Marketing: The project was launched and promoted without mandatory registration from the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).
• Concealed Legal Disputes: The developers hid an ongoing civil court title dispute concerning the land while actively accepting payments.
• Evidentiary Cover-Up: Promotional banners and hoardings across Kamrej and Kholvad were abruptly dismantled overnight once news of police action broke.

After receiving neither the plots nor a refund after booking, around 15 to 16 complainants lodged a complaint at the Kamrej Police Station in Surat.. The police have arrested the accused, Umang Thakkar, in connection with a total fraud of ₹1.56 crore and are conducting further investigation.

UMANG THAKKAR AND HIS CASE HISTORY

1. Enforcement Directorate (ED) Investigation & DHFL Loan Scam
   • DHFL Financial Irregularities: In August 2021, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the premises of Dharmadev Infrastructure and associated entities. The investigation focused on alleged loan transactions exceeding ₹1,000 crore taken from Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL).
   • Foreign Investment Probes: The agency investigated potential money laundering, improper credit extensions without adequate due diligence prior to DHFL's insolvency, and whether loan proceeds were illegally siphoned or invested abroad.
2. Service Tax Evasion & Arrest
   • Tax Evasion Arrest: In December 2013, the Service Tax Commissionerate arrested Umang Thakkar for allegedly collecting over ₹2.65 crore in service tax from real estate buyers without depositing the amount into the government treasury.
   • Custody and Bail: After brief judicial custody and hospitalization, he was released on a ₹50 lakh bail bond following the payment of the outstanding tax dues.
3. Corporate Insolvency (NCLT & IBC Proceedings)
   • Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP): His firm, Dharmadev Infrastructure Ltd., faced proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
   • Gujarat High Court Challenge: In early 2026, petitioners including Umang Haribhai Thakkar challenged an order by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Ahmedabad Bench regarding procedural notifications prior to issuing judgment in Company Petition No. 417 of 2026.
4. Income Tax Assessment Disputes
   • Search & Seizure (Section 132): A search operation was conducted by the Income Tax Department on premises linked to Thakkar and his partnerships (including Devnandan Builders and Swaminarayan Farm).
   • Tax Appeals & ITAT Orders: Litigation ensued over undisclosed investments, valuation differences determined by the Departmental Valuation Officer (DVO) for properties (such as residential projects and Hotel Neelkanth), and additions made under Section 69B of the Income Tax Act.