Retired airman duped of ₹33 lakh in Barwala

Has alleged he was handed over forged documents of land sale agreements by a father-son duo

The police have booked a father-son duo for allegedly duping an Indian Air Force retiree of ₹33 lakh with forged sale agreements of land in Barwala.

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Complainant Pratap Singh of Sector 20, Panchkula, told the police that he is currently employed as a lecturer and was transferred to a government college in Barwala in July 2014. He said that in November 2017, accused identified as Ram Dia and son Pawan Kumar had agreed to sell him and one Lakhwinder Singh a piece of land measuring 2 kanal and 12 marla for ₹50 lakh.

The accused were paid ₹20 lakh as token money, but the sale deed was not formulated. Pratap told the police that Lakhwinder’s contribution of ₹5.7 lakh was returned to him, but neither the ₹14.3 lakh nor the sale deed was handed over to Pratap.

Meanwhile, Pratap entered into another agreement with the accused, this time to buy 1 kanal and 6 marla land for ₹25 lakh. The accused received ₹13 lakh, but again showed inability to hand over the sale deed, stating that the 6 marla land was pledged as collateral to a private bank against a loan (hypothecation).

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Rishi Pal, who is investigating the case, said the complainant has alleged he was compelled to transfer ₹5 lakh and later ₹1.2 lakh to the accused for clearance of loan and freeing of land.

“It was alleged that the accused neither cleared the loan nor got the sale deed registered for the 6 marla land,” said the ASI.

Finally when the accused handed over the sale deed for the first agreement, it was put on record that the land was sold to Pratap’s wife in January 2014. Pratap told the police that they only came in contact with the accused in 2017, said the ASI.

Police said it was also alleged that the accused had tampered with official plot numbers of the lands. In January 2018, the accused received the sale deed for the second agreement as well, by allegedly forging documents.

The complainant has also alleged that after he and his family had occupied the land, accused Pawan Kumar visited him and hurled abuses over height of boundary walls. He allegedly threatened Pratap of dire consequences if he didn’t vacate the land.

A case under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.

Investigation is underway, the ASI said.