The Kochi City police have registered a case against Antony Kureethara, Opposition leader in the Kochi Corporation Council, former Sub Registrar Officer, Kochi, and seven others on charges of forgery of documents in connection with the alleged unauthorised sale of 10 cents of land on Bazaar Road, Mattancherry.
The Mattancherry police registered the case under Sections 468 (punishment for forgery of a document or electronic record with intention to cheat), 471 (use of forged document as genuine), and 420 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on a complaint lodged by Joseph Stanley, 80, of Mundamveli.
He alleged that the first accused, V.H. Babu, his manager for around 40 years, had conspired with others to create fraudulent documents and forge his signature. The property was subsequently sold to the second accused, M.P Kunjumuhammad, before it was transferred to a private firm in the city.
Mr. Kureethara, councillor representing the Fort Kochi division, rejected the allegations terming them as “politically motivated”. He said the property was sold by Mr. Stanley to Mr. Kunjumuhammad for ₹20 lakh as per rules. “The registration process was carried out at the complainant’s residence in 2006 as he was unwell. I was a witness to the sale, and the police had acted in haste without conducting proper inquiry based on the complaint lodged on October 29,” he said.
Published – October 31, 2024 12:44 am IST
