Is Kareena Kapoor guilty of abetting Monarch Builders?

Mumbai, 14th December, 2017: Kareena Kapoor endorsed Monarch Universal builders of Navi Mumbai builders against whom multiple FIRs for cheating have been filed. Directors Gopal Amar Thakur, Hasmukh Amar Thakur and Roshan Sudhakar Sheth were arrested in September 2017, several months after an FIR was registered in April 2017 for swindling over Rs 4.5 crore from a Dubai business and and his relatives, by falsely promising to deliver 17 flats. Associates Anand Thakur, Ashok Narayani and Sushil Makhija are still absconding. Monarch Universal has swindled over 1500 families in three Navi Mumbai projects namely Monarch Greenscapes at Panvel (880 flats), Monarch Brookfields at Taloja (320 flats), and Monarch Imperial at Kalamboli (310 flats).

These 1500 families have found the going extremely tough. Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police has been very slow to register FIRs; home-owners allege that police officers of EOW not only delayed in registering FIR, but also tried dissuading the complainants by asking who would return their money if the builders went to jail. The flat-owners are no closer to getting their money back, and they are stuck in various degrees of despair.

Kareena endorses Monarch Greenscapes

By endorsing Monarch builders and their realty projects, Kareena Kapoor earned crores of rupees, and she abetted Monarch Universal in swindling thousands of victims. Whether intentionally or otherwise, this glamorous film star, entrepreneur and brand ambassador participated in a huge swindle that financially ruined over 5,000 persons.

But Kareena isn't named in any police complaint or FIR. Kareena is neither in jail, nor sharing the financial miseries of the victims. Does she read about Monarch's victims in the newspapers or on social media? Is there any room for regret, pity or guilt in her tinsel-coated lifestyle? Probably not.

Of course it is legal for celebs to endorse any brand, but is it moral for them to do so, knowing that they may cause actual harm to thousands of people who are influenced by their star power? People don't buy flats due to celebrity endorsements, but their purchase decisions are undeniably influenced by the false aura of authenticity and trustworthiness that these celebrities lend to the advertisements.

Kareena endorses Monarch Universal

But enough about the glamourous Kareena Kapoor, who became the face of Monarch  Universal. Let us look at the real faces of Monarch -- the people who booked flats in these projects.

Three first-person stories of Monarch flat-purchasers:

1) Mrs Sushama Mahesh Bhounsule

I booked the residential flat in Monarch Greenscape at Panvel being developed by Monarch Universal Group in Dec 2012 by paying Rs. 12,00,000/- (30% of Flat value). After paying 10% more, we got allotment letter from Monarch and alloted a 2 BHK flat in D wing no. 1203. It was committed by builder that we will get the flat possession by 2017.

But from last 4-5 years, no work is being carried out at site. In between many times builder promised to start work but no progress till date.  Now the builder (Thakur Brothers) are in police custody.

We invested our hard earned money (Rs. 16,74,883/-) in Monarch Greenscape project and not get anything after waiting for 4 to 5 years.

It is requested to give wide publicity  through social media so that we can get justice.

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2) Swati Harnesswala

Thanks for offering to help us voice our ordeal in front of the world. We had a flat in Kandivli, which we had sold off. Since that money was available with us, we were looking out for a suitable real estate investment. This was in 2012, when there was a boom in the real estate market.

During that time we had a Real Estate broker called Sanjeev Korde as a family friend. He introduced us to Monarch Builders. Since we had very little knowledge about real estate, it was difficult to choose a property and a reliable builder whom we could entrust with our hard earned money. That was the time when Sanjeev came forward to help us. He arranged a meeting with the Monarch Builders - Gopal Thakur and Hasmukh Thakur. Both the brothers, by their sweet talk, managed to convince us that they were the right people to trust. They convinced us that they were like family members to us and in the future if at anytime we were in need of money, they would give back our money immediately. All this pep talk was also endorsed by Sanjeev. All in all, it seemed to be an ideal deal for us and since the property rates were rising steeply, we thought that we would make a decent profit from our investment.

We then visited the construction site of Brookefield, at Road Pali, Taloja Sector 20 and had a look at the property. Since the location was ideal and we got a flat as per our liking, we ended up giving him cheque for the token amount of Rs. 1 Lac. in the next few days, by going to his office.

Also in due course of time, we gave him cheques for Rs. 21.4 Lacs as a full and final payment towards our flat and we also gave him a cheque for Rs. 69,216 as service tax. I also believed them enough to hand over cash amount of Rs 7.43 Lacs, by going to their office personally. Each time I was given reassurance that my money was safe and I had nothing to worry about. As a result, I relaxed after handing over my hard earned money to these crooks, not knowing that I had in fact invited an avalanche of problems.

In the next six months I tried to follow closely the progress of the project by paying regular visits to the site and also calling up the builder's office etc. I was satisfied with the progress and hence I made a second investment in another project by the same builder called Greenscapes, in Panvel. Sanjeev introduced us to a broker by the name of Anurag Mishra, who introduced us to Greenscapes.

We again met the builder and discussed the project status of Brookefield and the timelines for completion etc. He said it was on target and we could go for registration in a short time. With all his reassurance, we invested with him again. He even told us that he had his office there and could not possibly run away with our money and we could easily catch hold of him any time. Greenscapes was yet to be initiated, we paid Rs. 12.43 Lacs. and Rs. 28,874, as service tax, as 30% of the total flat cost. 

After that our real ordeal began. After few months we again started following up with the builder for agreement. We followed up with the brokers too. Initially the brokers took our calls and kept telling us that they would discuss with the builder and get our flats registered. But after few months, they both stopped taking our calls. Sanjeev, although a close family friend, also stopped responding. That is when we decided to personally go to the builder's office to find out actual situation. We got a rude shock when the receptionist told us that the builders were out of station and would call us if they wanted to and almost told us to get lost. After that we made it a ritual to call/visit the builder regularly. But they were never available and then one fine day, there was nobody in the office to talk to us. That is when we realised that something was seriously wrong. During our visits, we got talking to a few other customers like us and then we realised that we had been taken for a ride. Our entire life's savings had been wiped out and we had no clue about the whereabouts of the builders.

We shared our nos. with the other members and started a Whatsapp group. In the meantime, my husband was detected with a life threatening illness and we were in dire need of money. I tried calling up the builder/his office etc. but no response. Did not find anybody in his office too. We suffered a lot emotionally and financially. We both had to sit at home for his treatment for over a year. I had to even leave my job, since it was not possible to get so much leave.

No source of income and the heavy expenditure for the treatment, broke our backs. We had to borrow money from people to survive and here was the builder who was enjoying life with our hard earned money. We cursed him every day and managed to scrape through. Now my husband is recovering and we are trying to pick up the pieces of our lives, so to say.

But I want justice for myself and numerous other people. I not only want financial compensation, but also want them to suffer the same pain which we went through. That is why I have taken up the lead in the fight against Monarch Builders, so that we all can teach them a lesson for life.

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3) Dr C S Shobha

I booked a residential flat in Monarch Greenscaspe project being developed by Monarch Universal Group. Details of property and payment are as under:
Flat no.:  1605,2 BHK Flat on the 16th.floor, Approx. Carpet area of 53.64 sq.mtrs.plus 9.29 sq.mtrs terrace area.
Flat no.:   3103,1 BHK Flat on the 31st. floor,Approx. carpet area of  35.35 sq.mtrs. plus 5.73 sq.mtrs. terrace area

Payment details - Rs.41,54,000/= by cheque on 06/05/2014 

Rs.8,46,000/= by cheque on  10/04/2017

With reference to the above facts, sir, I wish to state that I am in a distressed state and unable to manage even my day to day expenses. I am a senior citizen and don't have much aptitude to work enthusiastically any more. I am a single parent and my only son is totally dependent on me as he is still unemployed.

I have put in all my savings that I earned during my professional life, expecting to have a decent home to live in my retired life. The builder had promised to hand over the flat within 2 yrs. of payment and I have done the full payment. The builders,Thakur brothers never kept their promise of handing over the flat nor did they pay any interest for the same. When we tried to contact them, their phone was never reachable as they had changed their nos./mobiles.

From last 3 year, no work is being carried out at site and builder isn't even meeting us.

We even came to know that same flats have been sold to multiple people.

When I insisted that I am no more interested in the said property and to please refund my money with minimal interest at least, Gopal Thakur issued me two cheques, but to my utter shock, both the cheques bounced stating "Insufficient funds!!

I have paid my hard earned money and wish to lodge criminal complaint against the directors of Monarch Universal Group (Gopal Thakur , Hasmukh Thakur, Roshan Seth & Ashok Narayani).
 

I request you to help me highlight my plight and the ordeal I've been through so that the concerned authorities are compelled to take necessary action against Monarch Universal directors.
 

P.S.:I have developed both Hypertension and Diabetes due to extreme stress,so much so that I have had to be admitted several times due to complications and stress.  I don't have enough money to continue medications regularly. 

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These are real people with their real names, narrating their very real sufferings. Given that the funds have probably been misappropriated by the six partners into various other corporate entities or unregistered firms, Monarch's victims are asking by when Mumbai police will succeed in revealing the money trail, and if at all they will actually do so. And they are asking by what means can they get their money back. The answer to these questions is blowing in the winds.

No, Kareena Kapoor didn't reduce thousands of decent, well-to-do families to poverty; the Thakur family did that. But Kareena Kapoor willy-nilly participated in the criminal act. So is it wrong to ask that some criminal liability be fixed on celebrities who lend their glamour to criminals? Can we at least ask legislators to pass laws requiring celebs to take responsibility if they endorse scamsters?

ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST BY
Krishnaraj Rao
9821588114
krish.kkphoto@gmail.com