RDO transfers land worth crores to woman using forged docus, booked

Police said that the accused, Ettiyappan, who was the Tambaram RDO between 2011 and 2013, had conspired with a private individual, identified as Sowmiya, to misappropriate the properties measuring 6.5 acres (Survey No 400) and 5.09 acres (Survey No. 405/3) in Perungalathur village, Tambaram taluk, and abused his official position in favour of the latter by using documents despite knowing fully well that they were forged.

After receiving a tip off, the DVAC sleuths conducted an inquiry into the transfer of patta in 2013 and found that the property measuring a total of 11.65 acres in Perungulathur was purchased by G Nandakumar in 1955. It was in his possession till 1973. Later, the property was purchased by Gnanashanmugham, who then sold it to Kathirvelu in 1980, the FIR revealed.

Three years later, Kathirvelu sold the land measuring 6.56 acres to Tamil Nadu Accountant General Staff Cooperative Building Society, and the remaining land measuring 5.09 acres to Chennai Metropolitan Cooperate Society.

In 2013, Sowmiya claimed that she was the Gnanashanmugham’s mistress for 10 years and that the property belonged to her on the basis of an unregistered will allegedly framed by Gnanashanmugham.  Later, she applied for a legal heir certificate in May 2013, along with Gnanashanmugham’s death certificate.

“Inquiry revealed that Gnanashanmugam died in 1993 but the death certificate was registered only in 2013, which was found to be forged and fabricated,” DVAC officials said.

Further investigation revealed that the legal heir certificate was given by the Tambaram tahsildar, while the patta was transferred as per the order of the then RDO Ettiyappan dated June 10, 2013. It was done in connivance with Sowmiya, fully aware that all the documents produced by her were forged and invalid.

The police have registered cases against Ettiyappan and Sowmiya under Sections 34, 167, 409, 465, 468, 471 and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) and (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.