16 May 2022  |   06:15am IST

Forged sale deeds deprive Assagao locals of properties

Badem residents say so far three such cases have come to light wherein properties have been transferred in somebody’s name; Suspect a racket involved in such cases actively operating in collusion with some staff in the Bardez Mamlatdar’s office

Team Herald

MAPUSA: Some residents of Badem-Assagao have alleged dispossession and grabbing of their properties and land by producing forged sale deeds in the office of the Bardez Mamlatdar.

Speaking to reporters, the residents said that so far three such cases have come to light wherein properties have been transferred in somebody’s name in Badem-Assagao village. 

They suspected a racket involved in such cases actively operating in collusion with some staff in the office of the Bardez Mamlatdar at Mapusa. 

They said that based on forged documents, properties are mutated and land is transferred to unknown persons. 

“Three cases have come to light, we have no defence because every government office is not helping us. So, now our lawyer is helping us to get justice,” a villager said.

A woman from Badem-Assagao said that her property bearing Survey Number 39/4 including her grandfather’s property in Survey Number 31/2 was found to be forged.  “When we came to know about it we filed our objections on March 29 but next day the 

opposite party applied for mutation proceedings,” the woman said.

She further said, “We had two hearings but on both occasions the mamlatdar as well as the opposite party were not present. Now, we have been given third date for hearing on June 8.”

A Gulf returnee complained that his property is put up for sale and that he was given 15 days notice for hearing. In another case, a co-owner of a property had expired in 1951 but his name is seen as a signing party to the sale deed executed after his death.

Adv Cristina Dias said that complaints have been filed with the Crime Branch and the Directorate of Vigilance seeking registration of criminal cases against five persons, including one from Kerala for fraudulent sale deed. 

Adv Dias said that the people staying in their houses are getting disposed under this forged sale deeds which are then submitted in the Archives and the Sub-Registrar office at Mapusa.

“We have come across many properties being mutated in the name of the fraudsters and properties are transferred fraudulently,” she said.

Dias suspected that at least 45 to 50 such cases have been reported in Assagao and other coastal villages in Bardez taluka.