SREEKANTH Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed under section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

(2.) The petitioner herein is the 4th accused in Crime No.163 of 2018 of the Nedumangad Police Station, registered under Sections 466, 468, 471, 120(B) and 34 of the IPC.

(3.) The informant in the instant case is a senior citizen. He wanted to purchase an item of property having an extent of 5.51 Ares comprised in Re-survey No.1224/18. He approached the 1st accused, who is the Sub Registrar, Nedumangad to get an idea as to the value to be shown in the sale deed. The 1st accused suggested that the property be valued at the rate of Rs. 3 lakhs per Are. This was much in excess of the fair value and the market value of the property .It is alleged that the 1st accused demanded a sum of Rs. 50,000/- for the purpose of registration. The informant approached the Deputy Registrar, who in turn directed the Sub Registrar to register the sale deed at a lower rate. With a view to cause hardship to the informant, the 1st accused is alleged to have issued directions to the accused Nos. 3 and 4, who are licensed document writers, to manipulate the sale deed and to replace the last two sheets of the document, and also to forge the signature of the de facto complainant. Based on directions issued, the petitioner herein, who is a licensed document writer, is alleged to have replaced the last two sheets with new sheets and forged the signature of the informant. When this fact was noticed by the de facto complainant, he approached the District Registrar, Thiruvananthapuram, and lodged a complaint. He also approached the Enquiry Commissioner (Vigilance) and Special Judge and also the Superintendent of Police by filing separate complaints. It appears that an enquiry was conducted. Thereafter, the complaint was forwarded to the Station House Officer, Nedumangad Police Station, based on which the aforesaid Crime has been registered.