Auraiya BJP chief’s husband, brother, four others booked in land grab case

“The accused in the case include Mukut Singh, Rajesh Singh, who is a clerk at the sub-divisional magistrate’s office, Jaskaran Katheria, Mukesh Kumar, Ashutosh Gupta and advocate Sant Kumar,” said Akhilesh Mishra, Station House Officer (SHO) of Bidhoona police station where the case is lodged. “In his complaint, Devendra said that he his land measuring 31 bighas (approximately 5.25 acres) at Nagla Dharamal village had been sold. He cross-checked the details with the Registrar office and found the land sold to Mukut Singh and Rajesh Singh on April 23 this year.”

“During the preliminary investigation, we found that the person who sold the land had prepared fake documents in his (Devendra’s) name, including an Aadhar card. They also opened a bank account using the fake Aadhar card. In the sale deed, it had Devendra Kumar’s name, his father’s name and the address but carries the photograph of another person. After questioning of locals, we identified the person in the photograph as Jaskaran Katheria. We raided his house at Erwakatra area, but it was found locked,” said Mishra, adding that Mukesh Kumar and Ashutosh Gupta were mentioned as witnesses in the sale deed.

The FIR has been lodged under IPC sections 420 (Cheating), 467 (Forgery) and 120-B (conspiracy), among others. Geeta Shakhya, said, “My opponents have framed my husband and younger brother. We have been cheated by a person who prepared forged documents and took money from us in exchange for the land. We have not even got possession of the land.”