Telangana High Court orders probe into Land fraud case in Shamshabad

In a significant development in the ongoing 100-acre land dispute involving the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and several private individuals, the High Court has ordered a police investigation into counterfeit copies of a court verdict that have caused considerable controversy. A bench comprising Justice T. Vinod Kumar and Justice P. Sreesudha has found prima facie evidence indicating that the copies were forged, as they were presented by private individuals claiming ownership of the land.

The civil court had previously ruled in favour of Mohammed Taher Khan of Jahanuma, Hyderabad, regarding a land dispute spanning nearly 100 acres and valued at hundreds of crores of rupees. The case involves multiple survey numbers in Shamshabad Paiga Village, Shamshabad Mandal, Ranga Reddy District. In response, HMDA has filed an appeal against this ruling in the High Court.

It was noted that the copies of the alleged judgment, purportedly issued by Justice ND Patnaik on April 29, 1988, raised suspicion, as it was discovered that Justice Patnaik was not appointed until December 28, 1988. Furthermore, the writ petition number cited in the documents was not registered in the High Court’s records at all.

In light of these findings, the bench expressed its outrage at what it termed an act of deceit directed at the court and has directed the Judicial Registrar to lodge a police complaint. Moreover, the bench has instructed the state government to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe this complaint in conjunction with two other related FIRs already filed at Charminar Police Station.

The court has also mandated that both parties involved in the dispute maintain the status quo concerning the contested land.