PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
A case of land fraud involving Rs 63 lakh has come to light in Dehradun where a retired Survey of India officer has accused a man of cheating him by using forged land documents. The complainant, Jaykrit Singh Tadiyal lodged a complaint at the office of the senior superintendent of police, Dehradun.
As per the complaint, when Tadiyal on his retirement was looking to buy a plot of land, the accused Pradeep Saklani, a resident of Pujar village in Tehri, had approached him in September 2023 and showed him a plot located in Ajabpur Kalan area of Dehradun. Saklani had allegedly claimed that the land was legally clear and that he had full rights to sell it. He had also shown an agreement deed and land records, which later turned out to be forged, as per the complaint.
Consequently, an agreement to sell had been notarised in Dehradun in September 2022 in the presence of witnesses, including the complainant’s wife. At the time of the agreement, Rs 15 lakh had been paid, partly through bank transfer and partly in cash. Later, Saklani had allegedly demanded the full payment of Rs 74.71 lakh for executing the sale deed. Trusting him, the complainant had paid a total of Rs 63 lakh on different dates, the complaint said.
Despite receiving the money, the accused had not executed the sale deed and kept delaying the matter by giving excuses, Tadiyal said in his complaint. When the complainant tried to contact him again, Saklani allegedly remained unreachable. It was further revealed through inquiry, as per the complaint, that the accused is allegedly involved in several criminal cases and has been cheating people while out on bail.
Police registered an FIR and started an investigation on the basis of the complaint.
