Ludhiana: A case of alleged property fraud involving forged payment receipts and fabricated documents has surfaced in Punjab’s Ludhiana. Based on a complaint filed by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), police have registered an FIR against Haridwar resident Ravendra Kumar Kadd on charges of cheating, forgery and using forged documents to secure the transfer of ownership of a residential property. The investigation is underway, and efforts are being made to trace the accused.
According to police, the FIR was registered at the Moti Nagar police station following a complaint by the GLADA Estate Officer. The accused has been booked under Sections 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code.
As per the complaint, Ravendra Kumar Kadd was allotted House No. 905 under Scheme-99 in Sector 40 on March 31, 1998. To complete the allotment process, he allegedly submitted payment receipts claiming deposits of ₹60,000 in October 1997, ₹85,815 in May 1998 and ₹4.26 lakh later that month. These documents were reportedly used to complete the required formalities related to the allotment.
During a recent audit of official records, GLADA’s accounts branch allegedly found no evidence of these payments in its financial records. The inquiry further revealed that one of the receipt numbers submitted by the allottee actually belonged to an entirely different property transaction. This prompted officials to suspect that forged payment receipts had been used to obtain a ‘No Due Certificate’, which was later relied upon for the transfer of ownership of the property.
The preliminary inquiry also identified alleged discrepancies in other supporting documents. According to GLADA, the signatures on the original application submitted in 1997 did not match those appearing on the conveyance deed executed in 2021. The inconsistency raised further suspicion, following which the authority initiated a detailed inquiry and lodged a police complaint.
Investigators believe that if forensic examination confirms forgery, additional legal provisions may be invoked. Police are also examining whether other individuals, intermediaries or officials were involved in the alleged fraud. Records related to the property transfer, payment documents, banking details and official files are being scrutinised as part of the investigation.
Cases involving forged documents to obtain ownership of valuable properties have become a growing concern for authorities. Experts believe that regular auditing of government records, digital verification of payment receipts and multi-layer authentication of property documents can significantly reduce the risk of such frauds. Strengthening digital record management and verification mechanisms is considered essential to prevent forged documents from being used in property transactions.
Police are continuing efforts to locate the accused while examining all documentary and financial evidence linked to the case. Investigators are also trying to determine how the alleged forged receipts were created, how they were introduced into the official process and whether a larger conspiracy was involved. Further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
