Kerala: Some title deeds obtained via fraud, impersonation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though ruling political parties, including CPM and CPI, are playing it safe regarding the cancellation of land titles in Devikulam known as ‘Raveendran Pattayams’ stating that no one will lose land, the proceedings issued by Devikulam sub-collector that ordered cancellation of four such titles show that some of them were obtained through grave fraud and impersonation.
Renu Raj, the then Devikulam sub-collector, on September 24, 2019, initiated proceedings by hearing four land owners — Alagarswami, Muthu, Sudha and Chinnathai— in whose names land titles were issued (LA 96/99, 94/99, 97/99 and 54/99) by MI Raveendran in Kanan Devan Hills (KDH) village.
The sub-collector inquired into the matter based on a petition that one Mariyadas managed to obtain 15 titles in the name of his employees and relatives in KDH village. In the hearing, the individuals in whose names the land titles were issued gave statements that proved that some of them did not even know that there was land in their name in the village.
In his statement, Alagarswami stated that he had worked as a driver for Mariyadas who made him sign several papers by promising him that he would get land, but even now he does not have his own land or house. Muthu’s son, who appeared before the sub-collector (Muthu died in 2016), stated that his father was also a driver working for Mariyadas, and they did not have knowledge of any such land in his father’s name.
Suja, a close relative of Mariyadas and another land owner, stated that the signature on the land title is not hers, and Mariyadas threatened her of dire consequences if she revealed the truth. The fourth owner, Chinnathai, said that he was a resident of Kottakamboor village and had not applied for land in Munnar.
Some other owners of the land in question did not appear for hearing despite notices being served. Based on all these, the sub-collector ordered cancellation of the titles found to have been forged, while ordering a detailed inquiry into the remaining ones.
The farcicality of statements by revenue minister K Rajan and other CPM and CPI leaders, including CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPM leader and former power minister M M Mani, is evident if read along with the findings of the sub-collector with regard to the titles included in the category of Raveendran Pattayams. Rajan had on Thursday said that no one will be evicted due to cancellation of these titles, and the cancellation of these titles are being undertaken only because of the “procedural irregularities”. He said that all of them can apply for fresh titles and it will be issued within two months. Other leaders also had given similar versions.