In Thiruvananthapuram’s high-profile Jawaharnagar, a Rs 4.5 crore land heist has claimed another scalp: Sasthamangalam Sub-Registrar KS Lakshmi, now the ninth in the dock. The scandal, blending forgery and graft, targeted NRI Dora’s 14.5-cent plot and residence.
Fraudsters kicked off by mortgaging it to Merin Jacob under false adoption claims, then sold it fraudulently to Chandrasenan. Lakshmi’s fingerprints are everywhere—she registered the fakes, peddled support, used sham IDs, and shifted signings outdoors.
The payoff? A hefty Rs 10 lakh and 10 phones from overlord Anantapuri Manikandan. Fake witnesses comprised Manikandan, Syed Ali, Sunil Thomas, and Anil Thambi.
Dismissing her verification story, cyber trails proved collusion. Her earlier report under a show-cause notice reeked of favoritism.
Ongoing quizzing promises to peel back layers of this syndicate, exposing enablers in Kerala’s property underworld. This bust catalyzes demands for overhaul: mandatory e-verification, AI fraud detection, and harsher penalties.
The episode lays bare how insiders fuel land mafias, preying on distant owners. Kerala’s dream homes turn nightmares amid such betrayals. With public outrage mounting, expect sweeping audits and policy pivots to safeguard titles and transactions.