The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised serious concerns over the increasing number of property frauds involving Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), calling it a “disturbing trend” that undermines public trust in the state’s real estate system.
Justice Harpreet Singh Brar denied anticipatory bail to the accused Bagel Singh and Raghuvir Singh, who were charged with impersonation and sale of an NRI's land worth several crores at a grossly undervalued price of ₹30.20 lakhs. The cheques issued for the transaction were never presented for encashment.
“This case is yet another example of a disturbing trend that is steadily gaining ground, wherein unscrupulous individuals take advantage of Non-Resident Indians,” the Court noted. “These vulnerable owners are often targeted through forged documents and misuse of Power of Attorney, resulting in the illegal sale of their properties.”
The case involved the sale of 14 kanals of land in Ludhiana belonging to Deep Singh, an NRI residing in the USA. The fraud came to light during a surprise inspection at the Sub-Registrar’s office, revealing that the land was sold using forged identity documents. The impersonator was identified as Gurpreet Singh, and he was allegedly helped by several individuals, including Bagel Singh, a village Nambardar, and Advocate Gurcharan Singh Marwaha.
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The Court criticized the role of the Sub-Registrar and revenue officials in allowing the transaction based on cheques rather than demand drafts and failing to verify the parties properly.
“The scale of this deceit is symptomatic of systemic abuse,” the Court stated. “The absence of real owners is weaponized, and legal safeguards are routinely undermined. These offences affect not just individuals, but the broader trust in the property registration process and the economic stability of the State.”
CCTV footage from the registration office confirmed the presence of the accused during the sale deed execution. The Court emphasized that this was not an isolated incident but part of a larger conspiracy to illegally acquire properties belonging to NRIs.
The impersonation was facilitated using forged Aadhaar and PAN cards. It was further revealed that a payment of ₹60,000 was made to the impersonator. The real owner, Deep Singh, was unaware of the fraudulent sale until much later.
“Apart from impersonation, there was no actual exchange of sale consideration. The gravity of such acts extends far beyond individual transactions—they corrode institutional credibility and social conscience.”
Given the seriousness of the allegations and the past criminal record of Bagel Singh, the Court dismissed the bail petitions, instructing the Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana to take disciplinary action.
The Court also highlighted that such offences, being rooted in breach of trust, are graver than regular criminal acts as they impact both personal security and the larger real estate ecosystem.
Title: Bagel Singh v. State of Punjab
