Chennai police bust gang forging land documents to sell properties

In a major operation, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai City Police busted a gang allegedly involved in forging land documents and selling the lands illegally without the property owners’ knowledge. The police also detected a concealed chamber in Nesapakkam, which was being used for forging documents, and seized numerous such documents, rubber stamps, and other equipment.

The CCB began its investigation into the case after Subramani, 55, of T. Nagar, who runs several business establishments, had filed a complaint with the Chennai Police Commissioner in August this year. He alleged that unidentified persons had illegally grabbed his two vacant house plots, measuring about 4,715 sq. ft., in Madipakkam, approximately worth ₹2 crore. They had allegedly created a fake legal heir certificate claiming that Subramani had died and that a woman named Priya from K.K. Nagar was the sole heir of the property. Using the forged papers, they sold his property and executed sale deeds at the Velachery Sub-Registrar Office to other buyers.

The forged documents and other materials
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Based on the complaint, the Fake Document Wing of the CCB registered a case. The investigation revealed that Rakesh of K.K. Nagar and Karthik of Madipakkam, along with associates Venkatesan, Balasundar Arumugam alias Vasanth, and Solomonraj, had downloaded the original title deed online and created a fake version. They produced a forged legal heir certificate naming Priya, daughter of Deenadayalan, as the sole heir. Using these forged documents, they sold the property to Nirmalkumar of Keelkattalai for ₹1.55 crore.

Initially, Priya, Balasundar Arumugam, and Solomonraj were arrested. Acting on specific intelligence, the police arrested the key masterminds in the case – Rakesh, 36, and Karthik, 54 – in October. Mobile phones and certain documents were seized from them.

Based on their confession, the police then arrested Venkatesan, 44, of Pammal in Bengaluru. In the meantime, they intensified their search for those who were involved in forging the title deed, death certificate, legal heir certificate, and other documents.

In this regard, a special team, based on a tip-off, arrested Bharathiraja, 44, of Kolathur, on Wednesday (November 12, 2025). They then raided an apartment in Nesapakkam and arrested Jafar Sadiq, 42, who had been running a concealed room where documents were being forged.

Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner A. Arun said the investigation revealed that Jafar Sadiq had collected money from several people and prepared multiple fake certificates. The police seized high-end printers, screen-printing machines, forged rubber stamps of various government departments, fake seal papers, fabricated pattas, forged legal heir certificates, foreign postal stamps, adjudication papers, and forged parent documents of properties.

Both arrested accused were produced before the CCB & CBCID Court and remanded to judicial custody.

Mr. Arun has urged the public not to approach agents or intermediaries dealing in fake documentation and warned them against falling prey to fraudulent schemes.