Couple held for trying to usurp high-value property near Kilambakkam bus terminus

CHENNAI: Tambaram City Police's Central Crime Branch (CCB) have arrested a couple from Chennai, said to be part of an alleged land-grabbing gang that attempted to usurp a high-priced property near Kilambakkam bus terminus off GST road.

The arrested persons were identified as Suresh Kumar (69) and his wife, Clara Betsy (54) - residents of Choolaimedu. Tambaram CCB registered a case on July 18 based on a complaint from one of the victims- senior journalist, R Bhagwan Singh (72)

According to the complainant, a gang had targeted the property measuring about 85 cents "right from 1991" and have adopted various illegal methods, including fabricating ownership documents, to fight cases in various courts of law.

The civil suits filed by the gang against the five victims, who had bought the land from the original owner in 1987, were all dismissed by the civil courts and Madras High Court.

Meanwhile, the original land owners filed a petition before the Tambaram Police Commissioner in December, 2022, alleging harassment by the gang by various means, including creating fraudulent transactions registered at the Sub-Registrar's office at Guduvancheri based on fake certificates of 'natham' pattas that were illegally certified to be genuine by the Tahsildar at Vandalur.

Acting on petitions from the victims, the District Registrar, Chennai (South) conducted an enquiry and ordered the cancellation of all the fraudulent power of attorney/sale/agreement to sale deeds registered by Sub-Registrar, Guduvancheri in July, 2022, and also the Revenue Divisional Officer at Tambaram cancelled the fake 'natham' pattas illegally certified to be genuine by the Tahsildar at Vandalur.

Based on the documentary evidence, CCB found the allegations to be true and arrested the couple. Search is on for others who were part of the organized land-grabbing gang.