Ludhiana: Nambardar among 4 booked for forging will to claim 16 acres land

Accused allegedly used purported will to seek mutation of woman’s land in favour of charitable trust

Sidhwan Bet police have booked four residents of Swaddi Kalan, including a Nambardar, for allegedly forging the will of an unmarried woman to claim nearly 16 acres of her agricultural land after her death and subsequently creating a charitable trust in her name.

The matter will be heard before the SDM, Jagraon, on October 1 . (HT File)

The case follows an inquiry into a complaint filed by Inderjit Kaur of Chak Kalan, whose maternal aunt Gurmel Kaur died on August 23, 2025. According to the FIR and police inquiry report, the accused allegedly relied on a purported unregistered will dated August 17, 2025, to seek mutation of Gurmel’s property in favour of the Niranjan Singh Charitable Trust.

According to the inquiry report, Gurmel owned around 16 acres of land in Swaddi Kalan and Agwar Gujjran. After her death, Inderjit and her six siblings approached the revenue authorities seeking mutation of the property in their favour as her legal heirs. The dispute arose after Baljit Singh Numbardar submitted a separate application before the Tehsildar, Jagraon, seeking mutation in favour of the trust on the basis of the purported will. The police inquiry flagged several discrepancies in the document.

Gurmel was admitted to Raghunath Hospital, Ludhiana, from August 12 to 22, 2025, and was in a serious condition. Dr Gurprakash Singh Sandhu, who treated her, told the inquiry officer that she was suffering from breathlessness, mouth ulcers and severe physical weakness and was not in a condition to make a statement or execute a will. The report further stated that Gurmel was taken home from the hospital on August 22 without medical advice and died the following day.

Another discrepancy flagged by police was the form of the purported will. While Gurmel was known to sign her name, the document carried her thumb impression. Bank records obtained during the inquiry reportedly showed that she regularly signed documents.

According to police, Gursewak Singh, Jagdev Singh and Baljit Singh were in Swaddi Kalan on August 17 and had not travelled to Ludhiana that day, despite the will bearing that date. The inquiry also flagged a ₹9.85 lakh withdrawal from Gurmel’s bank account through a cheque by Baljit Singh on September 17, nearly 25 days after her death. The purported will was later used to create the Niranjan Singh Charitable Trust through a deed dated October 29. Major Singh was named founder, trustee and president; Manjit Singh was made trustee and secretary; and Baljit Singh trustee and treasurer.

The matter will be heard before the SDM, Jagraon, on October 1 .

Station house officer Amarjit Singh said an FIR was registered under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 336(2) and 336(3) (forgery), 338 (forgery of a will), 340(2) (using a forged document as genuine) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police are conducting raids to arrest the accused.