HC orders CB-CID probe into 'land grabbing' by two builders

Chennai, Aug 18 (UNI) Madras High Court today ordered tranfer of investigation into the alleged ''land grabbing'' by Vijaya Shanthi Builders and Subishka Housing private Limited to Tamil Nadu Crime Branch CID police from local police Mr Justice S K Krishnan directed the Additional Director General of Police, CB-CID to entrust the case to a competent officer, not less than the rank of Inspector of police to conduct the investigation and file the final report before the court, expeditiously.

The judge passed the order, while disposing off a petition filed by N Vijayalakshmi, a resident of Thuraipakkam, who submitted that she was the absolute owner of nine grounds of property in the area and it was being ''grabbed'' by the two builders after forging her signature.

Rejecting the prosecution's plea that the investigation was in the right direction and there was no need to transfer the case to CB-CID, the judge said the records placed before the court suggested that the old woman was harassed by the builders and the police had not taken any action.

The petitioner said when she was away in Hyderabad, some local people, collided with the two builders and prepared forged documents and ''disposed of'' the property to them.

Her attempts to retrieve the land went in vain as local police failed to properly investigate the case. The police did not even come forward to check the veracity of her signature and the thumb impression forged in the documents, she submitted.

The judge also directed the police to give proper protection to Vijaya Lakshmi as the two builders were threatening her with dire consequences, whenever she visited the property.

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