Chevella Police Nab Fake HC Lawyer in Land Fraud
HYDERABAD: Chevella police arrested a man for allegedly impersonating a High Court lawyer and cheating influential persons in fraudulent land deals worth several crores.
The accused, Abdul Karim, is a native of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Police arrested him from his hideout in Mehdipatnam, Chevella station house officer Bhupal Sridhar said.
Police said Karim targeted disputed properties, created forged documents and entered land deals by falsely claiming ownership or agreement rights over the land.
Accused allegedly forged papers for disputed land
In January, Karim allegedly tried to sell 9.36 acres of disputed land belonging to Amudal Samelu in Chevella mandal. Police estimated the land value at more than ₹20 crore.
Karim allegedly approached a local real estate businessman in Chevella and collected an advance of ₹10 lakh. He promised to settle pending court disputes linked to the property.
After receiving the money, Karim allegedly switched off his phone, changed his residence and went underground. Samelu later lodged a complaint after failing to trace him.
Police uncover wider fraud network during investigation
Special police teams coordinated with Andhra Pradesh police and traced Karim during the investigation, officials said.
Investigators found several irregularities in the deal. Police also found that Karim and his associates allegedly cheated two High Court lawyers of ₹25 lakh in the same transaction.
During questioning, Karim allegedly admitted that he and his associates collected ₹2 crore from a prominent Hyderabad jeweller. They had promised to settle another disputed land issue in the city, police said.
Police remanded Karim to judicial custody. Investigators are likely to seek his custody for further questioning, sources added.
