A shocking case of land fraud has surfaced in Rae Bareli’s Shivgarh block, where a plot of land was sold by a man impersonating its original owner—who had died over five decades ago. The incident has sparked serious concerns over the verification process in land registry transactions.
According to Inspector Vindhya Vinay, in-charge of the Shivgarh police station, the matter came to light after Uma Shankar, a resident of Bedharu village, lodged a complaint with district magistrate Harshita Gautam and superintendent of police Yashveer Singh.
Shankar claimed that the land in question—measuring approximately two bighas and four biswas—originally belonged to his grandfather, Hazari, who passed away around 50 years ago. However, on March 12, 2025, an elderly man allegedly impersonated Hazari and fraudulently transferred the land to two individuals.
The impersonator was identified as Harinam Singh, a resident of Gudha village in Shivgarh. The fraud came to light only last week, when the new “owners” arrived at the site to take possession of the land. Local police intervened, halting further action temporarily.
“An investigation is underway. The complaint has been forwarded to us, and appropriate action will follow after verification of the facts,” Inspector Vinay stated.
Preliminary findings suggest that the impersonator, the two buyers, and the witnesses involved in the sale acted in collusion. Police suspect that the rising market value of the land may have motivated the fraudulent deal.
Authorities have requested Shankar to submit documents proving Hazari’s death and the land’s subsequent ownership trail. The case has been referred to the land revenue department to verify old records and registry documents.
“Before initiating legal proceedings, we have sought assistance from revenue officials to authenticate the ownership history and ensure the legitimacy of the registry,” added Inspector Vinay.
