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2 arrested over bid to sell SP office plot
Police said that the accused created fake documents of the property to facilitate the sale of the sp office plot.
A group of land grabbers attempted to sell the property belonging to the office of the superintendent of police (Bengaluru Rural SP Office), a centrally located building, by forging documents, officials said on Friday.
The accused, identified as Rajasekhar (45), Mohammad Nadeem (48), Mohan Shetty (38), and Ganapathy (55), allegedly created counterfeit property documents to facilitate the sale of the SP office plot. As part of their elaborate scheme, another accomplice, Hanif, took photos and videos of the office and shared them with potential buyers.
Their plans were thwarted when inspector Santosh Gowda from the wireless department noticed Hanif’s attempt to take photos and videos on Wednesday.
Gowda questioned Hanif about his actions, who responded by claiming he had a General Power of Attorney (GPA) for the property, asserting ownership. Sensing irregularities, the inspector promptly alerted senior officials.
In response, a formal complaint was lodged against Rajasekhar, Mohammad Nadeem, Mohan Shetty, and Ganapathy for their roles in forging documents and attempting to sell government property.
“We filed a complaint with the High Grounds police station soon after the incident came to our attention,” Bengaluru Rural SP Mallikarjuna Baladandi told HT. The police have charged all six under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 353 (assaulting a public servant) and 447 (criminal trespassing) and are actively investigating the matter.
The land in question has a complex history. Originally owned by heirs of the Nepal royal family, it was handed over to the Karnataka government in 1962. Despite the police department paying property taxes annually, the land ownership still officially belongs to Nepalese citizens. “We have requested higher authorities to take steps to transfer the property to the government’s name,” SP Baladandi explained.
Two of the accused are currently absconding, and efforts are underway to locate them, said police.
