The Uttar Pradesh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has made significant headway in a long-pending case, arresting three more individuals allegedly part of a well-organised syndicate involved in grabbing government land and selling it illegally. The accused are charged with occupying high-value public plots and using forged documents to carry out unauthorized sales.
Modus Operandi of the Land-Grabbing Syndicate
According to the details released by the EOW, the gang systematically targeted valuable government properties. Their primary targets included ponds, grazing land (charagah), and Gram Sabha property. After taking illegal possession of these plots, the accused would prepare forged ownership papers. Using these fake documents, they would then engage in unauthorized plotting and sale of the land to unsuspecting buyers.
A Case Rooted in Intimidation and Caste-Based Abuse
The racket came to light when a complainant, Anil Kumar, raised objections to the illegal activities. In response, the accused allegedly resorted to intimidation tactics. Kumar was subjected to caste-based slurs and even received death threats for challenging the syndicate. This led to the registration of a formal case in 2006 at the Krishna Nagar police station in Lucknow.
The case was filed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine), 420 (cheating), 447 (criminal trespass), 441 (criminal trespass), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation). Provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were also invoked. Given the complexity and scale of the crime, the investigation was later transferred to the EOW on government orders.
EOW's Investigation Leads to Arrests
During a thorough probe, the EOW identified eight accused involved in the elaborate racket. Three of them had been arrested and chargesheeted earlier in the investigation. After continuous searches, the EOW apprehended the remaining three.
Rajjanan Yadav, a resident of Lucknow, was arrested from the PGI police station area on Thursday. Prior to this, on December 2, the EOW nabbed two brothers, Ajay Kumar Talwar and Vijay Kumar Talwar, also from Lucknow, from Hardoi. All the arrested accused have been produced before the court, and further legal proceedings are underway.
The arrests mark a crucial step in dismantling a syndicate that operated for years, encroaching on public resources and using forgery and threats to sustain its illegal operations. The EOW's continued efforts highlight the crackdown on organized economic crimes in the state.
