Bhadrak: Two brothers were arrested in Odisha’s Bhadrak district for allegedly declaring their mother dead in official records and transferring her house and land in their names, police said.
The matter came to light after 60-year-old Aisha Bibi of Habib Nagar in the Dhamnagar police station area staged a hunger strike outside the Bhadrak SP’s office Friday, demanding restoration of her property.
She alleged in her complaint that while she was away on a pilgrimage in 2023, her two sons submitted an affidavit claiming that she had died around 40 years ago. They also allegedly stated that she had no daughters.
Based on the purported affidavit, the Dhamnagar revenue inspector submitted a report declaring her dead, following which her name was removed from the relevant land records and her house and other property were transferred in the names of her two sons, she alleged.
Aisha said she has six daughters and alleged that the entire process was deliberately carried out to deprive her and her daughters of their rightful share in the property.
She also alleged that her husband was involved in the purported conspiracy.
After discovering the alleged manipulation of the records, Aisha approached Dhamnagar police station July 10 and lodged a complaint against her two sons, their wives and the revenue Inspector.
She alleged that no concrete action was taken for 18 days despite her complaint.
The matter later came to the notice of Bhadrak SP Manoj Kumar Rout, who directed the police to take appropriate legal action.
Additional SP Arup Avishek Behera said the woman had alleged that her husband and two sons had shown her as deceased in the land records, following which her name was excluded during the mutation process.
“On July 27, a case was registered at the Dhamnagar police station, and an investigation was initiated. The documents produced before the police indicated that the land had been registered in the names of the accused by declaring Aisha as deceased,” Behera said.
Dhamnagar inspector-in-charge Subrata Das said police had arrested Aisha’s elder son, Sk Taufiq, and younger son, SK Mujaidin.
Following an assurance from police that legal action would be taken against all those found involved in the alleged fraud, Aisha called off her protest outside the SP’s office.
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