Bengaluru ₹60+ Crore Leasing Scam: Illegal Occupants and Dual Agreements Point to Possible Collusion and Tax Fraud
BENGALURU - The ₹60+ crore Catena Homes leasing scam is no longer just about a fraudulent property management company. Serious questions are now being raised about the role of illegal occupants posing as tenants, who allegedly signed two different agreements for the same flat—a move that appears deliberate and deceptive.
According to records and victim complaints, many occupants entered into two parallel contracts:
- A lump-sum lease agreement involving huge advance payments.
- A monthly rent agreement created to maintain a facade for housing societies, tax authorities, and flat owners.
This dual-agreement setup is being viewed as a clear attempt to cheat flat owners, allowing occupants to stay in the flats while owners received no rent from last one year. Despite non-payment, occupants continued to claim tenant rights and refused to vacate, effectively illegally occupying private property.
Flat owners allege that this was not an innocent paperwork issue. By maintaining two agreements, occupants allegedly enabled and benefited from the fraud, knowing fully well that regular rent was not being paid. In many cases, owners were misled with fake assurances while lease money was diverted elsewhere.
THE INCOME-TAX ASPECT
Experts say maintaining two different agreements for the same property strongly suggests an attempt to hide real income, under-report rent, and evade taxes. Such practices harm not only individual owners but also government revenue.
Hundreds of property owners were left without income for months, forced to pay EMIs and maintenance out of pocket while fighting legal battles to recover their homes. Meanwhile, occupants continued living rent-free under the cover of disputed agreements.
Police have already arrested multiple accused linked to Catena Homes, and further investigation is expected to examine whether some occupants knowingly participated in the scam. If proven, this could widen the case from corporate fraud to criminal conspiracy, illegal occupation, and tax evasion.
"The scandal has exposed how misuse of rental laws and fake documentation can turn honest homeowners into victims; and how so-called tenants can become active participants in a well-planned property fraud."
Are you a victim of the Catena Scam?
We are compiling a database of dual-agreement evidence to identify individuals and share the information with the appropriate authorities for further investigation. Please submit any relevant evidence to investigation@scamexpose.in with the subject line #CAT-2025-0258