No end to woes of ‘Veer Nari’ in infamous Clementown house grab case
‘Veer Nari’ appeals to PM, CJI Over Land Mafia Harassment in Dehradun
No end to woes of ‘Veer Nari’ in infamous Clementown house grab case
‘Veer Nari’ appeals to PM, CJI Over Land Mafia Harassment in Dehradun
S.M.A. KAZMI
Dehradun, Sept 7
There is no end to the woes of a 73 old ‘Veer Nari’ wife of a deceased decorated naval officer who for the past more than three years had been fighting a courageous battle against land mafia of Dehradun.
Now, as she faced harassment and alleged ‘legal blackmail’, she has written to the Prime Minister, Uttarakhand Governor, Union Home Minister, Chief Justice of India and Chief Justice of Nainital High Court and President of Bar Association, highlighting her case and plight.
In her letter she wrote, “ I Kusum Kapur am a 73-year-old widow of a decorated Commodore of the Indian Navy, a recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM). In recognition of his service and sacrifice, I bear the honor of being a ‘Veer Nari’. I write to you with deep pain and distress regarding the grave injustice and harassment I have been subjected to by land mafia in Dehradun, aided by certain legal practitioners who misuse judicial processes”.
“Fraudulent documents of my property were created by land mafia with the connivance of local authorities, due to which my genuine registries were illegally cancelled. My house was then completely looted and demolished. When I sought help from the local police, they refused to act. I was able to register an FIR only after approaching the Director General of Police, Uttarakhand”.
“Subsequent investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttarakhand police proved that the documents of the land mafia were forged, confirmed through forensic examination. The culprits were arrested and jailed. Through civil proceedings, the fraudulent registries were cancelled and my ownership reinstated”.
“However, after their release from jail, the same individuals, with the aid of one particular lawyer have been filing multiple civil suits—clearly frivolous and vexatious in nature—to harass and intimidate me. Despite proven fraud and my restored legal rights, these cases are being admitted in courts. At my advanced age, as a widow and senior citizen living with a physically challenged daughter, I feel unsafe and persecuted. Out of fear, I even sold the property after regaining its title, but the harassment continues,” she alleged.
In the astonishing case, it was on January 12, 2022 that a British era house of a deceased naval officer in Clementown area of Dehradun city was razed to the ground and all the belongings looted by the land mafia in alleged connivance with the police when the owner was away. Kusum Kapoor, wife of the deceased naval officer was residing in the said property with her mentally challenged daughter and had gone to NOIDA on January 7, 2022 for some work when her house was raided and demolished.
Kusum Kapoor was informed by her neighbours on telephone on January 12, 2022 that her house is being demolished with the help of JCB machines and tractors. Kusum Kapoor on getting information about the incident she contacted local police official on phone who assured her of action but to her shock and surprise when she reached Dehradun after five hours , the demolition was going on brazenly. On reaching the police station, the incharge of Clementown police station, Narendra Gehlot rebuked the hapless women and threatened to register cases against them and did not help. In absence of any relief, she went to the residence of Senior Superindent of Police, Dehradun Janmejay Khanduri on January 13, 2022 where she had to wait for four hours to get an audience with the district police chief. She was asked to come to the office the next day. She had to again wait till evening from morning to meet the SSP. He assured to inquire into the issue and did nothing.
Finally, after running from pillar to post, she with her another daughter Preeti Khattar finally went to meet Ashok Kumar, the then Director General of Police, Uttarakhand who ordered an inquiry into the case and ordered that a case be registered against the alleged culprits. Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar suspended Narendra Gehlaut, the Incharge of the Clementown police station for dereliction of duty.
In the month of February, 2022, after running from pillar to post, the two hapless women were again assured by the DGP Ashok kumar who formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the case to expedite investigation. Akshay Kode, SP ( traffic), IPS and Rekha Yadav, an IPS officer from Haridwar have been appointed as members of the SIT but to no avail.
During the epic fight, the family had to live in a van parked in the demolished house. They later erected a tin shed to save themselves from elements.
They had to approach the Nainital High court in the month of May after running for justice for four months, which issued notices to state Home Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dehradun, Station House Officer (SHO),Clementown, Dehradun and Investigation Officer, in the bizarre case of house demolition, on a criminal writ petition filed by Kusum Kapoor, the victim in the case.
Kusum Kapoor filed the petition WPCRL 932/2022,u/s 482 Cr.PC as a complainant in the FIR no.0008/2022,u/s 452,447,427,323,506,395,397,448,412,34 IPC registered at Clementown police station, alleging weak investigation and failure of the state police to arrest the main accused despite four months. In her petition she charged that she had complained to all the senior officials including approaching the State Police Complaint Authority but the three main accused in the case are not yet arrested.
Interestingly, the arrests in the case were made within hours of Uttarakhand High court issuing notices to the state government and senior police officials on the alleged inaction of the police in apprehending main accused in the case. The High Court issued notices to the state government and police on May 18, 2022.
The Police had announced cash rewards on the three main alleged accused in the case namely Amit Yadav, Saurab Kapoor, a lawyer and Mona Randhawa but were unable to nab them from January till May, 2022 . They were nabbed after court intervention. The Speecial Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand police had arrested Amit Yadav and Saurab Kapoor from Uttar Pradesh on May 19, 2022.
Interestingly, Preeti Khattar, daughter of Kusum Kapoor who had fought relentlessly against powerful well entrenched land mafia of Doon valley had demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the scandal in the record room of the land records in the Registrar office of Dehradun District Magistrate.
Preeti Khattar who had been fighting the case on behalf of her old mother since January, 2022 had alleged that the conspiracy to grab the house of her parents was hatched by the land mafia gang in alleged connivance with the officials of record room of the Registrar at the district courts which has been proven beyond doubt.
It was in 2023 that the Dehradun police unearth a the multi crore land grab scandal in Doon valley where land records were allegedly changed by a gang of officials, lawyers and land mafia. The police had formed a Special investigative Team (SIT) in May, 2023 to probe the issue of scandal in changing the land records. Eight persons including a lawyer have been arrested by the police in the Registrar, record room scandal case till date.
Preeti Khattar in a letter addressed to the District Magistrate has stated that the land record in her case were also changed which came to light during the investigation. She said that while the seven accused in her case were nabbed and are in jail but surprisingly, the government lawyers and officials allegedly involved in changing the land records were spared and no action was taken against them. She further said that in another similar case number 116/2019 involving another property in Clementown area, a similar modus operandi was adopted and the ‘record room scandal’ point towards the fact that there could be many more such cases involving huge amount of money.
She said that only a probe by the premier Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could reveal the entire operation of this gang in duping unsuspecting property owners in Dehradun valley. It was Preeti Khattar who solely fought against powerful land mafia leading to their arrest and unearthing of their modus operandi in grabbing prime properties in the city.
However, the accused who have obtained bail have changed their strategy to harass the women. Kumsum Kapoor in her representation charged that the sustained legal blackmail through misuse of the judicial system has drained her emotionally, physically, and financially. She requested urgent intervention to direct authorities to ensure that frivolous and repetitive suits filed by known offenders are not admitted, in accordance with established principles of law.
She sought necessary protection as a senior citizen, widow of a decorated armed forces officer, and a ‘Veer Nari’. She further demanded strict action against any advocates and officials colluding with criminal elements to misuse the justice system.
She finally pleaded to uphold her dignity, safety, and right to live peacefully after years of lawful struggle.
