Property grab case: Victim's cousin identifies Sanjeev Mahajan

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Chandigarh, March 14

Rajiv Kumar Manektalla, cousin of Rahul Mehta, has identified Sanjeev Mahajan, one of the accused in the alleged property grab, in the court today. Rajiv, who is settled in the UK, was examined for the second time as the prosecution witness in the alleged house grab case in which the police registered an FIR last year against 10 accused.

Rajiv claimed that the accused was the same person who threatened him and also offered Rs25 lakh to withdraw the court case in 2017. While identifying Sanjeev Mahajan, Rajiv told the court that he had met him with regard to the house. He said Sanjeev was the instigator and mastermind and he had shown him the paperwork stating that he had obtained the signatures of his cousin Rahul Mehta on these papers for transferring the property in his name and also made him an offer for a sum of Rs25 lakh to withdraw the case pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.

Rajiv further told the court that he was feeling fearful for his personal safety In India. He has also sought necessary protection till he leaves India on March 21, 2022, for the UK. The court, after hearing the plea, forwarded his application to the Member Secretary of Standing Committee, i.e. District Attoreny, UT of Chandigarh, for taking further action in the matter under the witness protection scheme.

Rajiv also said he had not given any authority to Anupam Chetri and had never authorised anyone to demolish the house. He said that address shown in the affidavit never belonged to him. He came to Chandigarh after the death of Ved Praksh Mehta, father of Rahul Mehta.

As per the chargesheet, the accused entered the house of Rahul Mehta forcefully and took possession of the first floor in March 2017. The accused had later allegedly took the signatures of Rahul Mehta on papers after allegedly torturing him. The police alleged in the charge sheet that the house was later transferred on the basis of the alleged forged papers submitted in the name of Rajiv Kumar.

As per the chargesheet, the accused submitted forged embossed affidavit, photo copy of the passport and authority letter of Rajiv Kumar for the transfer of the house. Rajiv denied of sending any such documents to the offices concerned.

According to the chargesheet, the house was originally allotted to Santosh Mahta, wife of Ved Prakash Mehta. Santosh executed the Will of the house in favour of her sister Sushila Kumari. Rajiv is the son of Sushila.

The court deferred further examination in chief of Rajiv and adjourned the case for March 15.

His claims

Rajiv claimed that the accused was the same person who threatened him and also offered Rs25 lakh to withdraw the court case in 2017. While identifying Sanjeev Mahajan, Rajiv told the court that he had met him with regard to the house. He said Sanjeev was the instigator and mastermind and he had shown him the paperwork stating that he had obtained the signatures of his cousin Rahul Mehta on these papers for transferring the property in his name.