Two held for fabricating a will to sell property

After a slew of cases related to fake documents prepared for grabbing land in the recent months, now it's a case of fake will. The Anti-Land Grabbing Special Cell police (Madurai City) arrested two persons who had allegedly managed to sell a third person's immovable property, using a fake will, at Chinna Kanmoi Street off Chairman Muthuramier (CMR)Road.

The duo and its accomplices had received Rs. 8 lakh in cash from a woman who was shocked to know that she had been cheated. Though she possessed documents registered with Registration Department, she was baffled after realising that they were all fake and fabricated ones when the genuine owner rushed to the spot.

Following a complaint from Poochelvan, a resident of Moulana Sahib Lane of Anna Nagar, the Inspector General and Commissioner of Police P. Kannappan directed the Anti-Land Grabbing Special Cell police to register a case.

Poochelvan, in his complaint, stated that he owned an immovable property measuring 532 sq.ft. valued at about Rs. 15 lakh. However, he was shocked to know that a gang led by R. Manikandan alias ‘Bullet' Mani of Teppakulam and J.R. Saravanan, son of ‘Juttu' Rajaram of Sami Asari Lane Chinna Kadai Street, had allegedly conspired to grab the piece of property by fabricating a fake will.

Since Saravanan's relative had sold the property to the complainant several years ago, Saravanan had conspired with his accomplice ‘Bullet' Mani and created a fake document giving an impression that the property was actually given to him (Saravanan) through a will by his relative, prior to his death in 2009. They had managed to register the will with the sub-registrar's office.

Subsequently, when the duo went to the Corporation office in Madurai to remit property tax in the name of Saravanan for the said property, the authorities grew suspicious on the genuineness of the documents as some details on it were smudged.

In the meantime, the accused had sold the property to a buyer, identified as Tamilarasi, wife of Balakrishnan, for a sum of Rs. 8 lakh. Knowing about the illegal sale, when the complainant approached the accused, ‘Bullet' Mani and Saravanan had reportedly threatened him with dire consequences and maintained that the property belonged to Saravanan by showing the will.

Inspector of Police G. Pethuraj told reporters on Monday that the thumb impression in the will (which Saravanan had claimed to be that of his relative Subramanian) did not match. When questioned about it, Saravanan confessed to having committed the crime. Based on his confession, police registered cases under IPC Sections 418, 420, 424, 448, 468, 471, 506 (2) read with 120 (b).

Apart from the two key accused, there are six others figuring in the crime. ‘Bullet' Mani, who used to ride only a ‘Bullet' (two-wheeler), is a DMK functionary. He runs a liquor bar in the city and suburban Melur. His accomplice, Saravanan, who is wanted in a similar grave crime, had obtained anticipatory bail in that case. A hunt was on to nab other accomplices, who had signed the will and sale deed as witnesses.