In order to prevent fraudulent land transactions, the State government has tweaked rules making it mandatory for the seller, the buyer and the witnesses to validate the land transaction through a one-time password (OTP) they will get on their mobile phones. This comes in the light of over half-a-dozen Sub-Registrars in Bengaluru found allegedly registering revenue properties, many a time with fake documents.
While the system was launched in Shivamogga nearly two months ago and later introduced in Gadag, Yadgir, Kolar, and Kodagu districts, it was put in place in Bengaluru a week ago.
Incidentally, Bengaluru reports the largest number of land transactions in the State in terms of number and value of transactions. With high real-estate value, several cases of fraudulent transactions and connivance of Sub-Registrars in registering revenue properties based on fake khata have been reported. The system will be extended to other parts of the State in phases.
“Until now, we did not know the people part of the transactions. The new system will create an audit trail that will enable the government to track persons involved in the transactions if it is flagged for frauds,” Inspector-General of Registrations and Commissioner of Stamps K.V. Trilokchandra told The Hindu.
“The validation through OTP will not only prevent frauds and impersonation, but will also make it convenient. For example, in the transaction of agriculture land, the buyer can track the status on mutation work, which is taken up automatically as the Bhoomi software is integrated with Kaveri. The buyer will get a message on the status of the mutation work,” Mr. Trilokchandra explained.
“This time, two witnesses had to be present and the OTPs had to be keyed in to complete the procedure. This along with their Aadhaar number,” said Lalitha J., who went to a Sub-Registrars’ office to register general power of attorney. “It’s good if it is a foolproof system,” she said.
According to a senior Sub-Registrar in Bengaluru, the new system was put in place to prevent registrations of revenue properties that are illegal.
“The OTP cannot be generated if a bogus khata is being used for registration and it is part of the update of the Kaveri software to plug loopholes. Khatas in certain plotted villages, where frauds have been detected, have also been mapped.” The recent crackdown by the police on at least six Sub-Registrars also pertained to it,” said the official, who chose to remain anonymous.
While registration of properties without proper approvals from the urban development authority or without proper khata used to be rampant in Sub-Registrar offices on the city’s outskirts earlier, he pointed out that now the khata and tax receipt have to be uploaded.
Probe on
Meanwhile, the probe against the Sub-Registrars is under way by the Bengaluru police’s Central Crime Branch, and a departmental inquiry has also been initiated. “The police had sought certain documents and information from the department, which we have furnished,” Revenue Department sources said.
