The police acted on a complaint against the builder from Shobha Tribhuvan, wife of D M Tribhuvan, a reputed lawyer from Shrirampur. She booked a flat in November 1998 in a project undertaken by the builder in Pune's Dhanori and initially paid Rs 65,000 followed by another payment of Rs one lakh, she said in her complaint. Both the payments were made by cheques. She was told at the time of the payment that the work had already commenced.

Tribhuvan lodged a complaint with Shrirampur police when she realised that the construction work had not began.

J M Developers had issued advertisements of their construction project in newspapers in June 1998. The builder who had claimed that the construction had been already began, had also exhibited attractive models of the projects at his office and had also shown a documentary of the project to his clients, it was stated.

It is said that in all 80 persons had booked flats and paid advance amounts to the builder. Police inspector in-charge of Srirampur police station Prakash Munde is investigating the case.