News: Registry fraud bares holes in online system-31-03-2021
Registry fraud bares holes in online system
Gurgaon: A one-acre plot in a prime location in Manesar was transferred in the name of a local resident, who allegedly forged documents and signatures of the original owner who died four years ago.
The plot in Manuja Budka village, said to be worth crores of rupees, was transferred in the name of one Parth Soni, who is a resident of Hailey Mandi in the city according to the papers he has submitted. A police complaint about the forgery was lodged by the naib tehsildar of Manesar, Jagdish Chand, who was reinstated a few days ago after remaining suspended for long following allegations of irregularities in registry against him.
The registry, executed on February 25, brought to the fore loopholes in the online system. A senior official in the registry department admitted that the new system did not have a mechanism to verify if the documents being submitted for transfer of property are original or fake. In most cases, registries are executed if the documents are in order, the official added. The latest forgery has also renewed allegations of a nexus between land mafia and revenue officials.
According to the complaint, Soni had superimposed the photos of two of his accomplices on the Aadhaar cards of the original owners — Subhash Chandra Jain and his cousin Rajiv — and supported his application with fake papers.
The forgery came to light when officials called up Jain’s son Abhishek, a resident of Green Park in New Delhi, for the mutation of the plot. Abhishek, who has also lodged a complaint at Manesar police station, said his father had bought the land in 1996. Jain passed away in 2017.
Chand said he had reported the matter to the station house officer of Manesar police station. Deputy commissioner Yash Garg said, “An inquiry would be conducted into the matter by a senior official. Strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty.”
In September last year, Haryana had introduced a new software to register properties online. The decision was taken after a scam was unearthed at tehsil offices across the state in registration of properties during the lockdown.
