JAIPUR: Jawahar Circle police here Tuesday arrested a 62-year-old man for allegedly duping 151 people of crores of rupees by selling plots in an unauthorised colony using forged documents. Police identified the accused as Jagdish Narayan Sharma. He allegedly conspired with a housing society to sell illegal plots in a colony called ‘Parshvanath Enclave Extension’ on Vatika Road in Sanganer.
Deputy commissioner of police (east) Tejaswini Gautam said the arrest was part of a larger crackdown on land mafia operating in collusion with housing societies. The investigation was launched after multiple complaints about fraudulent land deals with fake documents.
One such complaint was filed by 82-year-old Prem Kumar Sehgal on May 13, 2024. He alleged that Sharma sold him a plot in 2005, promising legal possession. Sehgal was shown a map and a forged lease deed dated July 2, 1997, claiming authorisation from Hasanpura A Housing Cooperative Society Ltd.
Sehgal paid the full amount of Rs 2,200 per square yard for Plot No. 97 but received a receipt of only Rs 11,111. When no boundary wall was built, Sehgal visited the site and found the land still occupied by farmers. He later discovered that Sharma sold multiple plots without acquiring the land.
When confronted, Sharma allegedly admitted to the fraud and warned Sehgal to drop the case, claiming political connections. Police said Sharma was on the run and frequently changed locations to avoid arrest.
During questioning, Sharma allegedly confessed to forging documents and selling land without legal acquisition or compensating the original landholders. tnn
