CB-CID probe sought into tampering of Wills at Puducherry Registration Department

The District Registrar’s Office has demanded a detailed probe by the CB-CID into the manipulation of certain registered Will deeds at the Sub-Registrar Office in Oulgaret, Puducherry.

Following detection of a mismatch in the particulars pertaining to eight registered wills in Book-3 (a register to keep wills) and in the register that maintains thumb impressions of those who executed the documents, the District Registrar, with the approval of the Inspector-General of Police, has approached the CB-CID for a detailed investigation into the suspected tampering of documents.

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The issue of tampering of documents first came to light during a review meeting conducted by M. Kandasamy, immediately after he took over as District Registrar in August.

According to government sources, a Sub-Registrar who attended the meeting flagged the fact that a few pages of a Will available in the registries appeared to have been tampered with.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that Book- 3 has been tampered with for manipulation of Wills. Original Wills were found to have been removed from the Book and fake deeds attached. There is a clear mismatch in the details given in the relevant registers. It is difficult to do such tampering without the knowledge of the staff at the office. Only a detailed probe can identify the culprits,” said a source.

Authoritative sources in the government told The Hindu, that a file seeking further action by the CB-CID was submitted by the District Registrar at the end of last month. Departmental inquiries have pointed towards the involvement of some staff members faking the documents.

“Certain departmental staff members might have indulged in the illegal activity at different stages. A detailed probe is necessary to to find out the details of documents registered using the forged Wills. The file seeking an investigation has been forwarded to the Superintendent of Police, CB-CID,’’ said a senior official.

In the wake of large-scale complaints about the functioning of the Puducherry Registration Department, the District Registrar has also directed the Sub-Registrars to closely examine documents of properties being registered on the basis of executed Wills, it is learnt.

The Registration Department has also started the process of collecting details of unapproved plots registered so far during the last five years at all Sub-Registrar offices.

The department has been under the scanner after a major scam, related to the usurping of around 64,000 sq ft of land belonging to Kamatchiamman temple, came to light recently.