Beltangady: K Somanath Nayak and Ranjan Rao Erdoor have strongly denied allegations of land fraud levelled against them by a Mangaluru resident, maintaining that no cheating took place in the disputed property transaction. The duo have also said they are willing to return the money received if the complainant no longer wishes to proceed with the purchase.

The clarification comes after Shashidhar Achyutha Totantila, 61, of Kottara Chowki in Mangaluru, approached Beltangady police alleging irregularities in a land sale agreement involving 0.98.75 acres.

Based on his complaint, Beltangady police registered Crime No. 91/2026 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Complainant alleges payment and registration dispute

According to the complaint, Somanath Nayak and Ranjan Rao Erdoor had agreed to sell 0.98.75 acres of land to Shashidhar for Rs 90 lakh.

The complainant alleged that although he paid more than Rs 1 crore in connection with the transaction, the entire extent of land was not registered in his name. He subsequently claimed that he discovered the property was Kumki land and that it was involved in a legal dispute before the Karnataka Land Tribunal.

The allegations led to the registration of the police case and prompted the accused to issue a detailed clarification regarding the transaction.

Duo deny cheating allegations

In a press statement issued from Guruvayanakere, Somanath Nayak and Ranjan Rao Erdoor rejected the allegations of fraud.

They stated that landowner Ranjan Rao had already registered 28.50 cents of land, along with the associated Kumki rights, in Shashidhar’s name as agreed.

According to them, registration of another 9.25 cents remains pending because a land sketch required for the registration could not be prepared.

The duo attributed the delay to a prolonged strike by surveyors, saying the issue was administrative rather than an attempt to avoid registration.

They cited Form 11E, described as a Mutation Sketch Application, in support of their claim. According to the statement, an application concerning 9.25 cents, recorded as 0-9-25.00 in Survey No. 85/*/10 of Kuvettu village, was initiated on December 3, 2025.

The two accused maintained that the documentation showed the registration process had been initiated and that there was no intention to deceive the complainant.

‘No information was hidden’

Somanath Nayak and Ranjan Rao Erdoor further stated that they had not cheated Shashidhar or deliberately withheld information about the property.

Regarding the legal dispute surrounding the land, they claimed that they came to know about a suit before the land grabbing prohibition court only several days after the initial registration.

They also argued that Kumki land does not fall under the jurisdiction of the said court. The duo pointed out that Shashidhar himself had reportedly made a similar statement before the Tahsildar.

The clarification sought to distinguish the pending legal issues concerning the land from the allegations of deliberate fraud made in the police complaint.

Accused offer to return money

The duo also expressed disappointment over the police complaint, saying they had extended cooperation to Shashidhar throughout the transaction.

They claimed that possession of the property had been handed over to him even before registration was completed.

The two said they were prepared to resolve the matter by returning the money if the complainant had changed his mind about purchasing the land.

“If he does not want the land, let him inform us. We are completely ready to return his money so that he faces no financial loss,” they stated in the press release.

They also described Shashidhar as a gentleman and suggested that he might have approached the police following someone else’s instigation.

The accused categorically denied having committed fraud in the transaction and also rejected any suggestion that they had engaged in fraudulent practices in their other business dealings.

Duo question additional payment

Towards the end of their statement, Somanath Nayak and Ranjan Rao Erdoor questioned why the complainant had allegedly paid an amount exceeding the agreed consideration of Rs 90 lakh.

They specifically referred to Shashidhar’s profession as a Chartered Accountant and questioned the reason for sending the additional amount.

The statement asked why Shashidhar, being a Chartered Accountant, had sent extra money beyond the agreed amount.

The issue has now become a matter of police investigation following registration of Crime No. 91/2026. The allegations made by the complainant and the explanations provided by the accused are part of the ongoing dispute, and the precise circumstances surrounding the payments, registration and legal status of the property will have to be established through the investigation and relevant records.

For now, the accused have maintained that the incomplete registration was caused by the inability to obtain the necessary survey sketch and not by any fraudulent intention. They have also reiterated their willingness to refund the money if the complainant does not wish to continue with the transaction.