KOCHI: Police have registered a case against the leader of the Opposition in the Kochi corporation and eight others for allegedly cheating a Mattancherry resident and grabbing his land. However, leader of the Opposition Antony Kureethara claims it is a fake case, asserting that the police registered an FIR against him due to political pressure.
The case was filed based on a complaint from 80-year-old Joseph Stanley, a resident of Nazrath, Mattancherry. Stanley, a businessman, owns properties in Mattancherry and Fort Kochi. The other accused include Mattancherry residents V.H. Babu, M.P. Kunjumuhammad, Ashish Rozhario, Haneesha Ajith, Anitha Santhosh, M.V. Suresh, the Kochi Sub-Registrar, and a private firm named Yettinahole Hydro Electric Co. Pvt. Ltd.
According to police, the allegation is that the first accused, V.H. Babu, worked as Stanley's manager for 40 years. The accused conspired to create false documents for 10 cents of land belonging to Stanley, located on Mattancherry Bazar Road in front of Jeevamatha Church. On June 24, the property was sold to Yettinahole Hydro Electric without Stanley's knowledge.
Police officials stated that the FIR was registered on Tuesday night, and an investigation has begun. “We have started investigating the incident. We have not yet heard from the accused. The company that bought the land is engaged in drinking water production. The case was registered based on the written complaint from the elderly person, and we need to verify the facts,” a police officer said.
Congress leader Antony Kureethara is the councillor representing the Fort Kochi division. He insists it is a fake case with false allegations against him. “In 2006, Stanley sold 10 cents of land to Kunjumuhammad for Rs 20 lakh. As Stanley was bedridden, the registration was carried out at his house. Babu and I were the only witnesses to the registration procedure. The role of the witness is to ensure the signatories of documents. Witnesses are not legally bound to verify the documents,” he said. Kunjumuhammad later sold the property to a private company, he added.