Petlawad (Madhya Pradesh): In a significant development in the legal battle against land fraud, four individuals involved in a fake registry have been sentenced to jail terms with fines following a historic decision by the court. The ruling, delivered by additional sessions judge Manoharlal Patidar, marked a long-awaited victory for the complainants after years of pursuit.
The matter came to the fore after a complaint filed by Hemla, Lachchiram, Vaishya, and Sursingh before the judicial magistrate first class, under multiple sections of the IPC, against Nanuram, Kukla, Hariram and Madiya. Their complaint alleged fraudulent activities surrounding the registration of agricultural land located in village Chhota Bolasa Sarangi, with survey number 244, owned by Hemla.
According to court documents, the accused, in a coordinated effort, conspired to execute a fake registry, substituting Hemla's name with that of Kukla. The fraudulent registry depicted Kukla as the landowner and Nanuram as the buyer, with Madiya and Hariram serving as witnesses. Subsequent investigation revealed that the accused obtained a duplicate receipt from the then Patwari to authenticate the falsified transaction. Upon discovering the forgery, Hemla diligently pursued legal recourse, presenting evidence and witnesses to substantiate her claims. After a thorough examination of the case, the judge found all four accused guilty of offenses related to forgery, fraud, and conspiracy.
Nanuram, Kukla, Madiya and Hariram, identified respectively as the sons of Hardu Ausari, Nania Pargi, Dhula Garwal and Kalu Garwal, were sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000 each under the relevant sections of the IPC. Failure to pay the fine could result in an additional six months of imprisonment for the accused. Despite the eventual legal victory, questions have arisen regarding the initial response of local authorities, particularly the SP, collector, to the complainants' grievances.
The failure to take cognizance of the complaint highlights systemic issues within the government system, wherein the concerns of ordinary citizens, particularly the marginalised and underserved, are often overlooked.
