Kanpur: A fraudulent scheme to convert agricultural land into industrial property through a forged court order has been uncovered in Narwal tehsil. The order, which involved scanning the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's signature, was prepared in a case that had already been dismissed by the court. The accused, peshkar Anuj Tripathi, has been suspended after a preliminary investigation found his involvement.
Investigation and Suspension
District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh ordered an FIR against Tripathi at Narwal police station under sections 336 (3), 337, and 340 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023. Departmental action has been initiated, and Tripathi has been suspended with immediate effect.
The scam came to light when Rohit Bhadauria, a computer room operator at the tehsil, flagged a suspicious order that had been sent for entry into the land records. The Tehsildar ordered an inquiry, which revealed that the court had already dismissed the case due to non-submission of required affidavits, consent letters, and other evidence. Despite this, an order was prepared declaring 0.41 hectares of land in village Birhar as converted from agricultural to non-agricultural and industrial use.
Forgery Details
The investigation, personally conducted by SDM Arwal Vivek Kumar Mishra, found that the signatures on the order were not his but had been scanned and affixed. The format of the order also differed from standard court orders. A check on the RCCMS portal confirmed that the case had been dismissed.
During the inquiry, a response was sought from Anuj Tripathi, the reader/peshkar posted at the SDM's court. He could not provide any satisfactory explanation. The investigation report states that the responsibility for maintaining court files, records, and orders, as well as preserving their confidentiality, lies with the reader. Despite this, his prima facie involvement was found in preparing the fake order in the dismissed case and sending it for entry into the Khatauni.
Legal and Departmental Action
The district administration has taken swift action, registering an FIR and suspending the accused. The case highlights the need for stringent checks in land record management to prevent such forgeries. Further investigation is ongoing to determine if others were involved.
