Avadi police arrest five in land fraud cases involving forged documents

The Avadi Central Crime Branch has arrested five persons in connection with three separate land and property fraud cases involving forged documents, impersonation, and suppression of legal heirs. The arrests followed complaints from victims alleging that properties running into lakhs of rupees were illegally sold using fake certificates and fabricated revenue records.

The police said a complainant, P. Suseela, 71 of Kolathur, stated that her late husband, a railway employee, had purchased a 2,100 sq. ft. plot at Velan Nagar in Sevvapet, Tiruvallur district. The couple had four sons and two daughters. After her husband’s death in 1999, the property remained with the family. Investigations revealed that her son, Alphonsraj, allegedly obtained a forged death certificate showing that his mother Suseela had died in April 2019, even though she was alive. He is also accused of suppressing the existence of other legal heirs and securing a fake legal heir certificate declaring himself the sole heir. Using these documents, he allegedly sold the property worth around ₹34 lakh without the family’s knowledge. Based on her complaint, a case was registered. Alphonsraj was arrested on January 30 and remanded to judicial custody.

In another case, the police said the complainant, R. Rajaraman of Kolathur, had purchased a 1,891 sq. ft. plot at Bharat Nagar, Madanankuppam village, Korattur, in 1988 and later obtained patta. It was in lawful possession.

Investigations revealed that a few allegedly arranged an impersonator resembling Rajaraman and created a fake Aadhaar card in his name. Using the impersonator, they registered a forged General Power of Attorney at the Tiruvallur Sub-Registrar’s Office in 2021 and later executed a sale deed for ₹40 lakh.

Based on Rajaraman’s complaint, the police arrested Prabhu, 42, and Ravi, 50, and remanded them to judicial custody. Efforts are on to nab the remaining accused.

In another complaint, V. Vasanthi, 62, stated that her father had purchased a 1,736 sq. ft. plot at Grandline village in Ponneri taluk in 1975. After his death in 1996, the land remained with the legal heirs, who continued to pay land tax and maintain records.

Investigations revealed that a persona named Selvarajan allegedly fabricated village revenue records in the name of a relative. Using the forged documents, he is said to have fraudulently registered a sale deed in favour of his wife, Jayalakshmi. The Ponneri Tahsildar’s office later certified that the documents were fake. The police arrested Selvarajan, 60, and Jayalakshmi, 51, and remanded them to judicial custody.