In a significant land fraud case, the Puri police arrested six individuals on Friday for allegedly selling over 100 plots of land belonging to Lord Jagannath using forged documents. The accused, all members of a local club, reportedly earned Rs 28 lakh through these illegal transactions.
The arrested individuals include the club’s president Shishul Behera (40), along with Sanjay Behera (29), Yashovanta Behera (29), Ratnakar Behera (31), and Babu Behera (32), all residents of Gokha Sahi. Police have recovered Rs 4.5 lakh in cash from Shishul Behera.
According to Manas Barik, the Inspector in-charge of Baseli Sahi police station, the accused used notarised agreements to sell plots of land in the Matitota mouza area. The fraudulent sales were conducted not only in their own names but also in the names of family members, other club members, and even outsiders. “We believe more than 15 individuals are involved in this scam,” said Barik.
Police investigations revealed that Ratnakar and Shishul Behera have previous criminal records, including charges under the Arms Act and assault cases. Authorities are continuing to probe the extent of the fraud, as they suspect the involvement of several more individuals in the illegal land deals.
This operation marks a major step in the crackdown on land fraud in Puri, with authorities vowing to take strict action against the perpetrators.