Family impersonates deceased father, forges documents to stake claim in CIDCO land

As per CIDCO December 3 complaint, the conspiracy dates back to 2006 when multiple members of a Panvel-based family and one of their associates allegedly colluded to cheat the planning authority and falsely stake a claim to CIDCO-allotted land

NAVI MUMBAI: The police had registered a fraud case spanning two decades where a deceased man was impersonated to illegally get a plot from City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) under its 12.5% scheme for project-affected persons (PAPs).

Family impersonates deceased father, forges documents to stake claim in CIDCO land

According to the Panvel City police, the case came to light when CIDCO was given a tip-off regarding the matter, prompting a detailed internal inquiry. As per CIDCO December 3 complaint, the conspiracy dates back to 2006 when multiple members of a Panvel-based family and one of their associates allegedly colluded to cheat the planning authority and falsely stake a claim to CIDCO-allotted land.

The FIR states that after the death of a man, 11 members of his family did not want to go through the legally mandated process of determining his rightful heir, which involves substantial paperwork. A police officer said, “Instead, they allegedly arranged for a third person to impersonate the deceased and sign the relevant documents.”

The deceased owned some land in Kamothe which had been used by the state for a development program. Under the 12.5% scheme, a rehabilitation and compensation program, people whose land had been taken for development purposes would be returned 12.5% of it. Using the forged documents, the accused allegedly executed a lease deed for the 1,100 sq.m plot in Kamothe, and tried to transfer the plot to their name.

Investigations revealed that the accused forged an identity certificate of the deceased father and his legal heirs were present during the land registration as an impersonator posed as the deceased and completed the formalities. The fraud allegedly began on February 13, 2006, and continued for years across several government offices, including the Panvel Tehsil office, CIDCO headquarters in Navi Mumbai, and the Panvel sub-registrar’s office.

“The family knowingly used fraudulent means to get the plot transferred in their name, causing financial loss to CIDCO,” said senior police inspector Nitin Thackeray. After verifying the tip-off, CIDCO conducted an internal probe before approaching the police. All the accused have been booked under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 336(3) (forgery), 338 (forgery of will), 340(2) (use of forged documents) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.