Sub-registrars suspended after dead man signs two land deals in Belagavi district

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan (centre) has warned all officers of strict action if they fail to cross-verify documents. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO

Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan issued an order suspending the registration of the land deal in the district on allegations of irregularities. The DC recommended the suspension of the two sub-registrars who were responsible for registering the land deal. The DC has warned all officials of strict action if they fail to cross-verify the documents.

A family from Belagavi complained that fraudsters had falsified records to claim that a long-dead member of their family had registered the business. Members of the Belagavi District Brahmin Samaj Trust have also complained about this issue

Digambar Shripad Kulkarni died on April 9, 1987. However, documents at sub-registrar offices in the district show that a sale deed bearing his name was recently registered twice — once in 2024 and in 2026 — in connection with deals worth several crores of rupees.

According to official records, on September 3, 2024, Digambar Kulkarni walked into the Khanapur sub-registrar’s office and signed documents to execute a sale deed for 8 acres and 37 guntas of land in Ankalagi village. Two years later, on April 24, 2026, he went to the Belagavi South sub-registrar’s office to register another sale deed — for 9 acres and 33 guntas of land in the same village.

His descendants complained that officials, real estate agents and others conspired to create records in his name and fraudulently register documents. They said a cursory look at the two sale deeds shows that there are many discrepancies in the records. Aadhaar numbers, signatures and residential addresses are different in the two sets of papers.

The family said officials bypassed, or gamed, the systems and processes that verify whether a person is alive or dead, and whether Aadhaar and other documents are genuine. They also argued that there is no registration tracking system at taluk or district level in Karnataka.

Rajesh Kulkarni, grandson of Digambara Kulkarni, demanded a detailed investigation into the issue. He said a second registration was made despite his complaint against the first one. He said he would explore legal options.

Published – 13 May 2026 15:07 IST