With daughters in mind, he slugs it out to get back what is rightfully his

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“In January, when I checked my seven by twelve extracts, it showed someone else’s name. I was in for a rude shock. After repeatedly telling the talathi that it was my land and I had appointed no power of attorney, the officials helped me out by asking me to approach the Haveli registration office in Pimpri, where the document was registered on some other person’s name. I got the copy of the sale deed and power of attorney. Here I could prove that the signatures were forged as they had even mis-spelt the name of my wife. On checking the details, it was found that the said person had convincingly put up a claim that my wife and I were abroad and so the power of attorney was appointed for the prime land near the Kondwa police station,’’ stated Thomas. The land was bought way back in 1988 as an investment where half-an-acre was on his name and the other half in his wife’s name, Susan Thomas, a teacher.

Having showed it at the Pimpri sub-registrar’s office, Thomas was asked to register a complaint with the Haveli SDO and with the police for forgery and cheating. Later, several notices were sent to the party from the Haveli SDO’s office. However, the person failed to show up at the time of hearing at the SDO’s office. This made the SDO rule in his favour.

“We decided to fight it out as this land was an investment for the future of my two daughters. I could not give it up so easily. But, this is very shocking that such things can be done even as the government is moving towards e-governance,’’ added Thomas

Haveli SDO Snehal Barge, who ruled the case in Thomas’s favour, recounts how the senior citizen persistently followed up the case and even registered a case at the police station. “Those fleeced in this manner should follow it up and register necessary complaints with the police station and the registrar office concerned,’’she said, adding that one should be careful while appointing the power of attorney and should register the POA with the registrar’s office to ensure that no case of forgery arises.

Even as the government has taken steps towards e-mutation, the issue of bogus power of attorney is rampant and Thomas said it was heart wrenching to be faced with such a situation and people should keep checking the mutation entries. “The person who showed up as the power of attorney is yet to be arrested and so such cases are bound to happen with such miscreants at large,’’ said Thomas.