Bhopal News: Land-Grabbing Racket; Ex-Deputy Director Health Department Pramod Shrivastava Arrested

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Police on Monday arrested former deputy director of the health department Pramod Shrivastava, the alleged mastermind of a major land-grabbing racket, said Misrod police.  Police said that Shrivastava, along with his associate Suresh Menon, allegedly prepared forged documents to illegally claim ownership of prime residential plots.

The case dates back to 2022, when complainant Shyam Nath Sharma approached Misrod police, alleging that fake claims were being made on five valuable plots registered in his and his wife Radha Sharma’s names. Investigations revealed that the accused used fabricated agreements and possession letters dated 2003 and 2018 to support their claims.

The fraud came to light when the notary mentioned a 2003 agreement. Complainant Bhagwan Swaroop Shrivastava, told police that the signatures on the document were not his, confirming forgery. Police also found false claims in the documents regarding Rs 21 lakh loan allegedly given within the family.

Further probe showed that co-accused Suresh Menon repeatedly changed his statements, portraying himself as unemployed in court despite being involved in multiple land disputes across the city. Initially registered under Sections of cheating, the case now includes serious charges under relevant sections after forensic and documentary evidence.

The SDM court has also ruled that the documents produced by Pramod Shrivastava are forged and that he has no legal rights over the land. Police said the gang never produced original documents and relied only on photocopies to intimidate genuine owners. Further investigation into related cases is ongoing.