Cops to book cheat builders

Cops to book cheat builders

August 22nd, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Bengaluru, Aug. 21: Considering the steep raise in land related disputes in Bengaluru, city police commissioner Shankar M. Bidari, has directed his officials to book conmen out to cheat investors under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1954, to make sure that they invite stringent punishment.
“Under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act such conmen will invite a simple imprisonment of three years with a fine of Rs 10,000,” he says, warning that the police will act stringently against those who convert agricultural land into commercial without obtaining proper consent from the authorities concerned.
“Even mere advertising the sale of agricultural land which has not been converted for commercial use can put the accused behind bars,” he says.
“Despite repeated warnings people continue to fall prey to conmen who cheat them while selling them sites. We request the public to scan the papers carefully before investing with land developers,” Mr Bidari stresses, pointing out that the police can take up suo moto action only where cognisable offences are concerned. “We come to know about such cheating cases involving land only when a victim files a complaint,” he explains.
Senior police officials advise depositors investing in sites on the outskirts of the city to be extremely careful.
“Many builders develop layouts and townships on the outskirts of the city. But depositors should approach the local bodies, including the sub-registrar’s office for document verification before investing with them,” they say.
According to them sometimes land developers con depositors by saying that the agricultural land is under the process of conversion.
“In such cases, depositors must take an undertaking about the status of the land from the developers,” they emphasise.