CHENNAI: Officials from the Tambaram City Police and the Revenue Department conducted simultaneous searches across 14 locations in Chennai's suburbs, including the residence of notorious history sheeter 'Seizing' Raja, killed in an encounter in September.
The raids aimed to uncover fake documents and identify accomplices allegedly involved in grabbing government and private lands. According to the police, a complaint was filed against Raja for attempting to sell 1.2 acres of government poramboke lands in Agaramthen, along with his accomplices. They tried to sell the lands for several crores using forged documents, the police said.
In 2023, the Revenue Department recovered the land from encroachers. Police searched the residences of Raja's associates and family members in Chitlapakkam, Selaiyur, Madambakkam, and Perungalkattur. The operation involved over 200 police personnel and Revenue officials, who searched for evidence of fake documents and to identify those involved in land grabbing.
The searches come following Raja's death in a police encounter, which led to investigations into his criminal activities, including multiple cases of alleged land grabbing, extortion, and intimidation.
According to the police, Raja alias 'Seizing' Raja (51) was shot dead by a team of Greater Chennai Police near Neelankarai on September 23 after he allegedly opened fire at a police team. He was arrested in Andhra Pradesh and was being brought to the city to recover the country-made gun he had used in an armed robbery in Velachery, when he used the same weapon against the police team, which led to retaliatory firing that killed him.