Siliguri, 09th November: Police have arrested a woman who had allegedly been absconding for a long time in connection with a land document forgery case in Matigara, Siliguri. Six months after the arrest of Jasmine Khatun, wife of alleged land mafia Mohammad Zahid, police arrested Mala Chhetri in the same case on Sunday. She was subsequently produced before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court.
According to police sources, a woman purchased three kathas of land in the Panchkelguri area of Matigara in 2012. In 2021, she sold the land to another person. Some time later, the new buyer contacted the former owner and informed her that another person was also claiming ownership of the same plot.
When the former owner investigated the matter, she allegedly discovered that forged documents had been prepared in 2024 showing the land as having been purchased in the name of Jasmine Khatun. It is alleged that the complainant’s signature was copied and another person’s photograph was used to prepare forged documents related to the land transaction. Mohammad Zahid, Jasmine Khatun’s husband, was also named as a witness in the documents.
Following the incident, the woman lodged a written complaint at Matigara Police Station, naming eight people in connection with the case. Based on the complaint, police arrested Jasmine Khatun on May 28.
Police sources said that several land-related cases have also been registered against Mohammad Zahid. As the investigation progressed, police arrested Mala Chhetri, who reportedly resides in the Khaprail Bazar area of Matigara.
As per police sources, the other accused in the case have fled to Nepal. Police are conducting raids to trace them. The investigation is ongoing.
