KOCHI: The police have registered a case against 19 people, including the revenue secretary and Ernakulam district collector, following a complaint filed by the Varapuzha Archdiocese alleging that its land was illegally transferred to private individuals. The case was registered by Eloor police following the directive of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kalamassery, on Wednesday.
The procurator of the Varapuzha Archdiocese is the complainant in the case.
According to a police source, the case is related to the transfer of 67 cents of land belonging to the Archdiocese in Eloor under Survey Nos. 54.78 and 78.4 to two persons in 2011. As per the FIR, the archdiocese alleged that the land was registered by the accused using forged documents. Later, the same land was sold to six other private persons. All these individuals have been named as accused in the case.
The public servants who are named accused in the case include the special tahsildar (LR), Tripunithura; revenue secretary, registration IG, commissioner of land revenue; district collector, Ernakulam, deputy collector (LR); RDO, Fort Kochi, tahsildar, North Paravoor, village officer, Eloor; and the sub-registrar of Varapuzha.
The allegation against public servants is that due to their inaction, the complainant lost the land. The procurator of Varapuzha Archdiocese refused to comment on the matter as the case is currently under the court’s consideration.
According to police officials, Varapuzha Archdiocese filed a complaint at the magistrate court in Kalamassery.
“The court ordered a police probe into the matter. Public servants, including the revenue secretary and district collector have been named accused as they were respondents in the complaint filed before the court. The investigation is only in the initial stage as we received the court directive two days ago,” an officer said.
The case has been charged under BNS Section 61(2) for criminal conspiracy; Section 316(2) for criminal breach of trust; Section 316(5) for criminal breach of trust committed by individuals holding key positions in public trust or in business professions; Section 318(3) for cheating committed by a person who has an obligation to protect the victim’s interest; Section 318(4) for cheating involving dishonest inducement to deliver property;
Section 320 for dishonestly removing or concealing property to prevent its distribution among creditors; Section 321 for fraudulently preventing debt from being available to creditors; Section 322 for dishonestly executing a deed of transfer containing a false statement of consideration; Section 323 for dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property; Section 336(2) for forgery; Section 336(3) for forgery committed with intent to cheat; and Section 340 for using a forged document as genuine.
Dispute over land
The case is related to the transfer of 67 cents of land belonging to the Archdiocese in Eloor under Survey Nos. 54.78 and 78.4 to two persons in 2011. As per FIR, the archdiocese alleged the land was registered by the accused using forged documents.