Mumbai: The Catholic community has reacted with shock and anger after TOI’s report of Thursday about yet another fraudulent bid to sell a church property near Bandra Bandstand. This is the third time since 2023 that the scam is being repeated. Social media users questioned why the church was yet to file an FIR in the latest Retreat House matter, or follow up on previous frauds.“Why is the church so laid back in these property frauds? It has not yet filed an FIR or investigated the trail even though the names and phone numbers of the advertisers are in public domain. In fact, the media has interviewed them. There was no investigation into the previous instances either. Only activists are raising an alarm,” said a Catholic activist, wondering if insiders were involved.Activist Zoru Bhathena has written to the archbishop of Bombay alerting him to an apparent link with an earlier fraud. “The issue of Clergy House and Retreat House are interlinked,” he claimed.In February 2023, a dubious ‘buyer’, named Swami Vivekanand Sarswati, had advertised his intent to ‘purchase’ the sprawling two-acre Clergy Home plot that houses retired priests in Bandstand. His lawyer published a notice inviting “claims and objections” from the public.“Notice is hereby given that my client Swami Vivekanand Sarswati, he will purchase Band Stand Bandra West, said Land from CTS nos. 609, 610, 611, 612 (A), 612 (B), 612 (C), 848, 858, are Buying area 8755.30 sq. Mtrs. So we hereby invite claim or objection that any person having any claim or objection against or into or upon in respect of said land (sic),” the notice read.CTS no. 858 has been quoted in the new ad circulated on June 3 as well.
