Ramanagara
A major attempt to siphon off compensation meant for farmers who surrendered their land for the Bidadi Township project has come to light, with four people booked for allegedly creating fake documents to claim nearly Rs 5 crore.
The alleged fraud surfaced just as the compensation distribution process for farmers whose land was acquired for the Greater Bengaluru Development Authority’s township project was getting underway. According to complaints filed with the Bidadi police, the accused allegedly prepared forged family-tree documents, consent letters and verification certificates and used them to submit claims for compensation.
The accused have been identified as Venkatesh, Rajashekar, Shankar Reddy and Krishna Reddy. Their applications came under scrutiny during the verification process conducted by Kishan, Special Land Acquisition Officer of the Greater Bengaluru Authority. Officials reportedly noticed discrepancies in the documents submitted along with the compensation claims and carried out further verification.
The documents were subsequently found to be fabricated, following which the Special Land Acquisition Officer lodged complaints with the Bidadi police. Based on the complaints, police have registered two separate FIRs against the four accused in connection with the alleged attempt to obtain compensation through fraudulent means.
Police said the accused had allegedly attempted to misuse the compensation process by producing false records and claiming money that was intended for genuine landowners. The estimated amount involved in the attempted fraud is around Rs 5 crore. Investigators are now examining the origin of the forged documents and whether other people were involved in preparing or submitting them.
The Bidadi police have launched a detailed investigation and are making efforts to trace and arrest all four accused. Officials are also expected to verify the compensation applications and supporting records submitted by other claimants to prevent similar attempts. Further details are likely to emerge as the investigation progresses.