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3 booked for staging theft to ‘bolster claim over police land’ in Ludhiana
A fresh FIR, registered on August 1, names Abdul Rashid of Sadiana area in Malerkotla and his alleged associates, Indu Shekhar alias Kancha and Gulshan alias Gaggu, both residents of the Tyre Market area
Three persons have been booked for allegedly staging a theft in a bid to legitimise an encroachment on police land near Ludhiana Railway Station. Police alleged the accused orchestrated the incident and lodged a false theft complaint to create official records that could later be used to strengthen their claim over the property.
A fresh FIR, registered on August 1, names Abdul Rashid of Sadiana area in Malerkotla and his alleged associates, Indu Shekhar alias Kancha and Gulshan alias Gaggu, both residents of the Tyre Market area.
According to police, Rashid’s family had been occupying the property since the 1950s and allegedly attempted to use fabricated criminal complaints to bolster its claim over the land.
The property is located in the Tyre Market near Ludhiana Railway Station and forms part of the old police lines, which were shifted to the Civil Lines area after Partition. While some occupants continued to hold lawful possession of certain properties, police alleged that others gradually encroached upon portions of the land.
According to the investigation, Rashid first approached the police claiming ownership of the property and accused its caretaker, Saroj Yadav, of attempting to illegally occupy it. Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered against Yadav.
However, an inquiry conducted by additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-I) Sameer Verma found that the property belonged to the police department and not to Rashid. Following the inquiry, the FIR against the caretaker was cancelled.
Police said Rashid later lodged another complaint on June 2 this year, alleging that two men had attempted to steal goods from the property and submitted CCTV footage of the alleged incident. During the investigation, however, police concluded that the theft had been staged.
Investigators alleged that Rashid had sent Kancha and Gaggu to trespass into the property and simulate a theft so that the complaint, along with the CCTV footage, could be used to create official records showing his possession of the property.
ADCP Verma said the inquiry revealed that the theft complaint was not a genuine criminal incident but part of an attempt to create a documentary trail linking Rashid to the property.
“The land belongs to the police department. The accused first tried to establish his claim through a false possession dispute and later attempted to create supporting official records through a staged theft complaint,” she said.
Based on the inquiry, police have registered a fresh case against the trio under Sections 62 (attempt to commit an offence), 329(3) (criminal trespass), 331(3) (lurking house trespass), 305 (theft) and 324(3) (mischief causing damage) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Officials said legal action is also being pursued against other alleged encroachments on old police land in the area.
