Two flat owners in Mumbai Rinku Sangoi Dedhia and Rahul Dedhia have been booked by Naya Nagar police on Monday for refusing to sell a 1-BHK flat to a youth named Govardhan Deshmukh, because he was a Marathi-speaking man.
Deshmukh in a complaint to the police said that he is a Marathi-speaking man and the owners claimed that the apartment was exclusively for Gujaratis, Marwaris, and Jains.
Angered at the denial, Deshmukh filed an FIR against Dedhias, reported Hindustan Times.
The 37-year-old complainant who is a stockbroker, came across a social media post on the flat which stated one condition – the flat will be sold only to Gujaratis, Marwaris, or Jains, and Christians and other community buyers will not be entertained.
“I called up Dedhia. He asked my name and immediately rejected my deal. Without an explanation, he rudely disconnected my call. We live in Maharashtra and any citizen has the right to purchase property anywhere in India,” Deshmukh said to the newspaper.
According to Jitendra Vankoti, senior inspector, Naya Nagar police station, a case has been registered under section 153(a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code.
Vankoti said: “Though no arrests have been made yet, we have given them a notice to appear before the Thane court once the charge sheet is filed. The duo has been told not to leave the city.”
