Pune: Falsified NA Certificate Leads to Legal Action in Wadgaon Sheri Land Fraud Case
Wadgaon Sheri, 12th April 2024: A case has surfaced involving the falsification of a non-agricultural certificate purportedly signed by the Tehsildar of Wadgaon Sheri and subsequent fraudulent registration of a land purchase deed. The incident occurred on August 9, 2023, at the Sub Registrar’s Office in Haveli No. 19. Upon discovery, legal action was promptly initiated, leading to the registration of a case at the Chaturshringi Police Station under the directive of the Tehsildar.
The individual involved in this deception is Valmiki Navnath Salunkhe, with residence listed as Hadapsar. Charges have been filed against him under sections of The Registration Act, 1908 and the Indian Penal Code, including sections 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (Punishment for forgery), 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Bhausaheb Tukaram Acharya, a resident of Old Sangvi aged 48, has complained.
Investigations, led by Sub-Inspector of Police Sambhaji Gurav, reveal that Salunkhe purportedly procured three parcels of land, totalling 2800 square feet (260.22 square meters), in Survey No. 52, Plot No. 3/1 of Wadgaon Sheri, through a power of attorney arrangement with the original landowner. Subsequent financial transactions facilitated the acquisition, with Salunkhe allegedly exploiting the power of attorney to fabricate documentation.
According to Sections 42B, 42C, and 42D of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, the occupier is required to obtain a certificate for non-agricultural use of land. However, in this case, the land in question was classified as agricultural, creating challenges for its development. To circumvent these difficulties, Salunkhe created a forged non-agricultural (NA) certificate with the signature of the Haveli Tehsildar.
Salunkhe exploited the power of attorney to falsely represent himself as purchasing land by registering a deed at the secondary registrar’s office in Haveli 19, Aundh. The transaction was conducted using fraudulent documents, which were later verified by the secondary registrar’s office. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the fake non-agricultural certificate had been attached to the deed. As a result, the secondary registrar’s office requested verification from the tehsildar’s office.
When the tehsildar reviewed the documents, it became clear that a counterfeit certificate had been included. The tehsildar informed the Sub-Registrar office that the certificate was fraudulent and instructed that a case be filed and legal action taken. Consequently, the secondary registrar’s office reported the incident to the Chaturshringi police station, citing deception of the tehsildar’s office and the government.
