City Crime Branch (CCB) of Coimbatore has arrested T. Chandran, the head of a bogus real estate company, for defrauding 19 prospective homeowners of Rs. 62.47 lakh. Chandran operated Smart Home Developers, utilizing social media to target unsuspecting buyers. His arrest follows a complaint by a victim, Elson K. Joe, after a fraudulent sale agreement. The case against Chandran and his associates is ongoing. Police urge the public to remain vigilant when dealing with real estate transactions.
The City Crime Branch (CCB) of Coimbatore successfully apprehended the mastermind behind a sham real estate
enterprise last week. The operation led to the arrest of T. Chandran, a 56-year-old resident of Pallapalayam in Sulur,
who had allegedly swindled 19 prospective homeowners of a total of Rs. 62.47 lakh.
Chandran had established Smart Home Developers in 2019, operating from a leased premise at the Lakshmi Mills
Junction. He had appointed Saravanakumar, Nagendran, and Dharmendran as directors, with Premanandhini and
Shiny Thomas functioning as marketing executives.
The deceitful firm employed social media marketing to ensnare prospective homebuyers. Elson K. Joe, a 35-year-old
resident of Vellalore in Coimbatore city, fell prey to one such campaign. On April 28, 2022, after spotting the firm's
advertisement online, he visited their office and met with Chandran. Expressing his interest in purchasing a new home,
Chandran persuaded him to invest in a house at Galaxy City in Kannampalayam for Rs. 31 lakh. Chandran
subsequently pocketed Rs. 11 lakh from Elson and handed him a counterfeit sales agreement.
When Smart Home Developers failed to deliver on their promise, Elson reported the fraudulent dealings to the Race
Course police. The police lodged a case against the six individuals involved under Section 120 B, 406, and 420 of the
Indian Penal Code. Nagendran and Dharmendran were apprehended last year, while the case was passed on to the CB
police. The police have established a special unit to secure the arrest of Saravanakumar and Premanandhini.
Meanwhile, Shiny Thomas has been granted conditional bail.
In conclusion the arrest of Chandran underscores the importance of vigilance among prospective homebuyers. The
deceptive practices employed by Smart Home Developers serve as a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls in the real
estate market. As the authorities work towards bringing all perpetrators to justice, the public is reminded to exercise
due diligence when engaging with real estate firms.
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