Yadgir: In a shocking case of forgery and land fraud, a lawyer has been arrested for allegedly forging the signature of an Assistant Commissioner (AC) and issuing a fake land ownership order in connection with a disputed 5-acre plot in Baradevanahalli village, Hunasagi taluk.

The arrested has been identified as Advocate Shankaraguru, who is accused of impersonating the signature of Assistant Commissioner Hampanna Sajjan to facilitate the fraudulent transfer of Survey No. 81/2, measuring 5 acres and 32 guntas, to private individuals.

The land in question has been under dispute for decades. According to official records, Eranna and Mallappa, residents of Baradevanahalli, claimed that the land had been in their family’s possession from 1954 to 1997. However, the Hunasagi Tahsildar later classified the land as government-owned and transferred its ownership accordingly.

In an attempt to reverse the classification, the applicants approached the Assistant Commissioner through Advocate Shantakumar Kori, seeking the land to be recorded in their names. The AC instructed the Tahsildar to conduct a fresh inquiry. The inquiry once again concluded that the land was indeed government property, and the AC subsequently rejected the appeal.

Following the rejection, Eranna and Mallappa were approached by Advocate Shankaraguru, who promised that he could still get the land transferred to their names. Trusting the lawyer, they reportedly paid Rs8 lakh in cash and via online transactions. On December 3, 2024, the lawyer allegedly forged the Assistant Commissioner’s signature and issued a fake order, falsely stating that the land had been granted to the applicants. The forged document was handed over to the applicants on December 6.

The fraud came to light when the applicants visited the Assistant Commissioner’s office on May 13, seeking to verify the order. Officials immediately recognized the signature as forged and alerted the police.

Following a complaint filed by Bapugouda Doranhalli, an SDA at the Assistant Commissioner’s office, at the City Police Station, a criminal case was registered against Advocate Shankaraguru. The police arrested the lawyer and have begun an in-depth investigation into the case.

Speaking to the media, authorities stated that Inspector Ravikumar and his team are examining the money trail, the method of forgery, and whether any government staff may have colluded. They are also investigating whether similar frauds have been committed in other villages.