MAPUSA
On the direction of Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) court the revenue officials have begun proceedings to recover Rs 50 lakh penalty and interest amount of around Rs 4 crore from the beleaguered real estate developer Venkatesh Prabhu Moni.
The Mamlatdar of Bardez has issued a notice of demand to the defaulter Prabhu Moni asking him to clear the dues within 15 days or else proceedings will be initiated against him according to the law for the recovery of the dues.
The proceedings against the defaulting real estate developer was initiated by Goa RERA after he failed to pay the penalty amount and the interest to the dewelling unit holders even after three months of the court’s order.
The Goa RERA court on March 17 had ordered the real estate developer to pay Rs 50 lakh penalty and to hand over the possession of units/flats to the buyers within 60 days.
The court had also directed the real estate developer to pay interest on the amount paid by each complainant/unit holder from the date of delivery of possession till units are handed over to them @ 9.3% per annum.
The Goa RERA court directed the North Goa Collector to initiate the proceedings of recovery of dues under the Goa Land Revenue Code 1968.
“If a promoter/real estate agent fails to pay any interest or penalty or compensation imposed on him under the RERA Act, it shall be recovered from such promoter/real estate agent as arrears of land revenue under the provisions of the Goa Land Revenue Code 1968,” the RERA letter to the Collector said.
The RERA court has also said if the defaulter fails to pay the dues the revenue officials can execute the process to attach his house property “Prabhu Palace” in Salvador do Mundo and his office premises ‘Dempo Trade Centre’ at EDC complex, Patto Plaza, Panaji.
Incidentally, two months ago, the Canara Bank had sealed Prabhu Moni’s office premises at Patto for defaulting to clear a loan amounting to Rs 4.75 crore.
Prabhu Moni’s multi-storeyed building project, Prabhu Chambers at Angod, Mapusa ran into controversy after the builder sold the units to buyers without honouring the commitments made in agreement for sale.
In all, 36 unit holders (complainants) had approached the Goa RERA in 2019 after the builder failed to complete the building and hand over timely possession of the units to them.
The planning authority (NGPDA) and the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) had also pointed out various deficiencies and also recommended measures to be taken by the builder for rectification of the same.
