Investigating agencies in Gujarat have intensified action against organised land fraud syndicates accused of using forged identity documents and fabricated records to illegally seize and sell valuable properties. In the latest case from Surat’s Sachin GIDC area, police have registered a case against six individuals for the alleged fraudulent transfer and sale of seven residential plots. Investigators allege that the accused misused the identity of a deceased woman to create forged documents and illegally take control of the properties before selling them.
According to the police, the case came to light after Jayesh Modi discovered that seven plots in Bhavaninagar-2 Society at Pali village, which he had inherited through his late mother’s registered will, had been transferred and sold without his knowledge.
Preliminary investigations revealed that after the original property owner died in 2024, the accused allegedly created a fake identity card in her name. Investigators said the forged document was prepared by using the registration number and date of birth of another unrelated woman while replacing the photograph to impersonate the deceased property owner. Police allege that this fabricated identity was then used to fraudulently transfer ownership of the land.
According to investigators, two of the principal accused allegedly took control of the property, while three others acted as witnesses to facilitate the fraudulent sale transactions. Police have also included in the investigation the woman whose identity details were allegedly misused to create the counterfeit document.
Authorities believe the case is not an isolated incident. Similar investigations across Gujarat have revealed that organised land fraud networks often identify dormant properties belonging to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), elderly individuals or deceased owners. The syndicates then allegedly obtain information from public records and other sources to create forged identity cards, fake powers of attorney and fabricated ownership documents.
Investigators said the forged documents are used to impersonate the legitimate property owner before the Sub-Registrar’s office, enabling the fraudulent transfer of ownership. The property is then quickly sold to an unsuspecting third-party buyer before the real owner or legal heirs become aware of the fraud.
In recent months, police have uncovered similar cases involving NRI-owned properties in Vadodara and fraudulent sale agreements relating to agricultural land in Ahmedabad. In those cases as well, forged identity documents and fabricated legal records were allegedly used to seize and dispose of high-value properties worth crores of rupees.
Legal experts believe the continued reliance on physical documents during property registration has created opportunities for such frauds. They have called for mandatory biometric verification, real-time cross-checking with digital government databases and multi-layer identity authentication during property registration to prevent forged identity-based land fraud.
Investigating agencies are now examining whether the Surat case is linked to a larger inter-district or interstate land fraud network. Police have advised property owners to regularly verify their land records and registration details and immediately report any suspicious changes or unauthorised transactions to the police and revenue authorities.
