Nagpur: Ruling-party leader Shoaib Asad booked for selling 87 plots to 32 buyers on land he did not own

Nagpur: Shoaib Asad, a well-known leader of the ruling party who is accused of cheating people of crores of rupees through forged documents in land deals, has been named in another alleged fraud. This time he is accused of selling 87 plots to 32 people, presenting them as owners of the land. The initial probe has put the value of the fraud at about Rs 3 crore. It is feared the figure could rise as the investigation proceeds.

The complaint was filed at Yashodhara Nagar police station by Vishal Bhaisare, a resident of Bejonbagh. Bhaisare's firm, Apex Land Developers, owns 5.66 acres of land under Khasra No. 142 at Bhilgaon. Asad allegedly laid out a layout on this land in the name of Royal Homes Associate without any permission, and then sold 87 plots to 32 people.

According to the complaint filed with police, Asad began selling plots by claiming the land as his own, on the basis of forged signatures of the original owners and notarised sale agreements. The buyers did not suspect the alleged fraud. When they reached the land, a dispute over the real ownership came to light. Bhaisare also learnt of the matter, and told the buyers that the land belonged to his firm. The matter was then reported to police.

Yashodhara Nagar police found that 32 people had bought a total of 87 plots in about 58 gunthas of land. The plots have been valued at about Rs 3 crore in the initial investigation. Asad has also executed registries of plots for several buyers. Police have booked him under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including cheating, forgery and use of forged documents. Police are now examining how many others were involved with him in the alleged fraud and how many buyers were targeted.

Asad's name has surfaced earlier in connection with land fraud and the sale of disputed plots. About a dozen cases of land-related cheating are said to be registered against him at different police stations, and three of them were reportedly filed in the past eight months alone. He is said to present himself as a leader of the ruling party to influence victims and police, and to feel unafraid after obtaining relief from court once a case is registered. He is said to keep cheating people, which raises questions about the pace of police action and investigation.

The alleged multi-crore land fraud has again raised serious questions about the land mafia and the business of illegal layouts active in the city. Police have appealed to those who have been cheated by Asad to come forward and file complaints.