Land grab issue in Krishnagiri: Madras HC orders to register FIR

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Krishnagiri police to register an FIR against a man who had allegedly cheated a farmer and grabbed his 12.08 acres of agricultural lands under the guise of lending money.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan passed the direction on disposing of a criminal original petition filed by N Venkatesan (68), a farmer from Mega Chinnampalli village in Krishnagiri Taluk.

The petitioner pleaded for setting aside the closure report dated December 12, 2020, issued by the Inspector of Police, Anti-land grabbing special cell, Krishnagiri on his complaint against one SR Egambaram for grabbing lands.

He further said that the respondent police did not file FIR against the accused despite the Krishnagiri Judicial Magistrate passing a direction in September 2020, to the police to file FIR within 15 days.

Recording the submissions, the judge held that whenever a Magistrate issued a direction under Section 156(3) of CrPC, the Investigation Officer is duty bound to register the First Information Report (FIR) and investigate the same.

“From the status report filed by the respondents, it is seen that in this case, the respondent not even registering the FIR, closed the complaint for the reason that the accused persons were not co-operated for the inquiry. Therefore, this court is inclined to quash the closure report filed by the second respondent,” Justice Ilanthiraiyan held.

According to the petitioner, the accused approached the petitioner with a promise of arranging a loan from his associate. For getting the loan, he further asked the petitioner to execute a sale deed of the agricultural properties in favor of the accused. After executing the sale deed for the lands worth several crores, the accused did not pick up the calls and failed to arrange the loan.