Builders in Surat Accused of Rs.2,500 Cr Land Fraud

Surat : The CID Crime Department has lodged an FIR against prominent Surat-based builders for orchestrating a massive land scam valued at ₹2,500 crore. The accused—Naresh Shah, Prakash Aswani, Loknath Gambhir, and Manhar Kakadia—allegedly forged property cards to sell about 5 lakh square yards of land in a designated Silent Zone along the posh Surat-Dumas Road, opposite the Surat International Airport.

The complaint, filed by Ghod Dod Road resident Azad Chatur Ramoliya (47), alleges that the owners of Samruddhi Corporation illegally prepared 315 bogus property cards for agricultural lands under survey numbers 815, 801/2, 803, 823, 787/2, and 812 in Dumas and survey number 61 in Vanta village. The builders then marketed and sold the land to unsuspecting investors under the “Silent Zone” scheme without paying premiums owed to the Gujarat state government, causing significant financial losses.

Manhar Kakadia, a well-known philanthropist, educationist, and politically connected real estate developer, is among the accused. Reports suggest the builders colluded with Surat City survey officials, including Kanalal Gamit, Anant Patel, and certain data entry operators, to forge the property cards. By adding their names to the official records, the accused created false ownership documents, enabling them to sell the plots fraudulently.

The prime location of the land, situated near Surat’s airport in a Silent Zone, added to the scheme’s appeal, attracting high-value buyers unaware of the scam. The fraudulent transactions bypassed government regulations, including the premium payments typically required for land sales, further exacerbating the state’s revenue losses.

This high-profile case has sent shockwaves through Surat’s real estate industry, known for its rapid development and high-value projects. Authorities are now investigating the depth of the conspiracy and whether additional parties, including investors and officials, were complicit in the scam.