Mangaluru: A court has convicted three persons for misusing a government housing scheme by allegedly submitting forged documents to obtain financial assistance meant for house construction.
The convicted individuals have been identified as Babu Mera, Jyothi and Taniya Mera, all residents of Aryapu village in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.
According to officials, the three had allegedly secured ₹1.5 lakh sanctioned under a government housing scheme by producing fabricated documents during the application process.
After examining the evidence presented during the trial, the court found the accused guilty and sentenced them to three years of simple imprisonment along with a fine of ₹5,000 each.
Fraud through forged documents
Police said the accused had applied for financial assistance under a government housing scheme intended to support eligible beneficiaries in constructing houses.
During the application process, the accused allegedly submitted forged documents to falsely establish their eligibility for the scheme. Based on the documents provided, financial assistance amounting to ₹1.5 lakh was sanctioned and disbursed.
However, the irregularities came to light following a complaint, which prompted authorities to initiate an investigation into the matter.
Officials noted that such schemes are intended to benefit economically weaker sections and misuse of the system deprives genuine beneficiaries of government support.
Case registered and investigation conducted
Following the complaint, a case was registered at the Puttur Rural Police Station against the accused.
Police booked the case under Sections 417, 419, 420, 465, 467 and 468 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections relate to cheating, impersonation, forgery and using forged documents with criminal intent.
The investigation was carried out by the then sub-inspectors of Puttur Rural Police Station, Udayaravi and Saktivellu.
During the course of the investigation, the officers collected documentary evidence, verified the authenticity of the documents submitted by the accused and recorded statements from relevant witnesses. After completing the investigation, the police filed a charge sheet before the court.
Court pronounces verdict
Assistant Public Prosecutor Chethana Devi represented the prosecution during the trial and presented the evidence collected during the investigation.
After hearing arguments from both sides and examining the material evidence, the court concluded that the accused had indeed submitted forged documents to obtain financial assistance under the housing scheme.
The court subsequently convicted all three accused and sentenced them to three years of simple imprisonment.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of ₹5,000 on each of the convicted persons. The court also ruled that if the accused fail to pay the fine, they will have to undergo an additional three months of simple imprisonment.
Misuse of welfare schemes a serious offence
Authorities have reiterated that misuse of government welfare schemes is considered a serious offence under the law.
Officials said such schemes are introduced to assist economically disadvantaged families in improving their living conditions. Fraudulent claims and forged documentation undermine the objectives of these programmes and result in financial losses to the government.
Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to closely monitor implementation of welfare schemes to prevent such misuse and ensure that benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.
Conclusion
The conviction of the three individuals from Aryapu village highlights the legal consequences of fraudulently obtaining benefits under government welfare schemes.
Officials have urged citizens to strictly adhere to legal procedures while applying for government assistance programmes and warned that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to misuse public funds through fraudulent means.