An accused declared dead, managed to skip action in a court case pending against him in 2013 but was found riding a scooter on Agra roads by the complainant in February this year. Being exposed, the accused surrendered before the Agra Court but was denied bail and sent behind bars by the court on Monday.
The matter dates back to 1999 when Madan Gopal Verma, since deceased, filed a case on 21.04.1999 in the court of additional chief judicial magistrate in Agra. Taking cognisance of matter, the court summoned the accused namely Vidya Devi, Chunni Lal Goyal, Tara Chand Sharma and Roshan Lal Verma on 01.09.1999 in the case lodged under section 467 and 468 of Indian Penal Code for forgery of documents when a fake will was prepared allegedly by the accused in which Tara Chand Sharma was the witness.
During the case, three of the accused Vidya Devi, Chunni Lal Goyal and Roshan Lal Verma died. The surviving accused, Tara Chand Sharma too ‘enacted’ his death and with all four accused having died the case came to an end on 18.03.2017, with file sent to the record room.
“Tara Chand Sharma took advantage of the fact that another Tara Chand Sharma lived in the same locality of Gandhi Nagar in Agra city where he lived. The other Tara Chand Sharma died on 02.09.1998 and his death certificate dated 14.12.1998 was used by accused Tara
{{/usCountry}}“Tara Chand Sharma took advantage of the fact that another Tara Chand Sharma lived in the same locality of Gandhi Nagar in Agra city where he lived. The other Tara Chand Sharma died on 02.09.1998 and his death certificate dated 14.12.1998 was used by accused Tara
{{/usCountry}}Chand Sharma to prove his death and get the case abated against him,” alleged Sameer Bhatnagar, the lawyer contesting the case against the accused.
“Raj Kumar Verma, the son of Madan Gopal Verma (who filed the case in 1999) found Tara Chand Sharma driving a scooter in Agra, in February. It was later revealed that Tara Chand Sharma had purchased a scooter in 2014 and got documents in his name, being confident that none might be aware of him ‘being dead’ in 1998,” alleged Bhatnagar.
“The application was moved before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate (Court No. 12), Agra in March, 2026, revealing these facts and the court was informed that Tara Chand Sharma was alive and had even purchased a scooter in his name and got his name registered at the regional transport office. Taking note of these facts, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against Tara Chand Sharma,” Bhatnagar said.
“The accused finally surrendered before the court and sought bail in the case on Monday. The court denied the bail and the accused was sent to jail,” Bhatnagar said.