In a significant development in a protracted land dispute, the Sarabha Nagar police in Ludhiana have arrested industrialist Surinder Singh Riyat from BRS Nagar. The arrest is connected to an alleged fraud case concerning seven-and-a-half acres of land in Ayali Kalan village.
Arrest and Key Details of the Accused
Surinder Singh Riyat was taken into custody on December 4 and is currently held in judicial custody at Ludhiana's Central Jail. Notably, Riyat holds a prominent management position, serving as the president of the managing committee at Guru Nanak Public School in Sarabha Nagar. The case originally targeted his brother, Jasbir Singh Riyat, an auto company owner, following a complaint filed by Chamkaur Singh of Baba Nand Singh Nagar on October 26, 2024.
Chronology of the Land Fraud Allegations
According to SHO Aditya Sharma, the complainant, Chamkaur Singh, entered a deal with Jasbir Singh Riyat for the 7.5-acre plot. As part of the agreement, Jasbir was to either provide cash or register two properties in Chamkaur Singh's name. The police allege that the accused failed to complete the property registry for the complainant.
This led to the registration of an FIR under IPC Section 420 (cheating) against Jasbir Singh Riyat. The case has seen a complex legal journey. The initial FIR was cancelled on January 27 with the police commissioner's approval. However, after the complainant pushed for a fair probe, the case was re-opened for re-investigation on May 6, following an inquiry by the ADCP-Investigation and legal opinion.
It was during this fresh investigation that Surinder Singh Riyat's alleged involvement surfaced. He was formally nominated in the case on October 11, leading to his arrest in December.
History of Legal Troubles for the Riyat Brothers
This is not the first legal encounter for the Riyat brothers, who are known as auto and tractor parts manufacturers. Information indicates they were previously booked for cheating in March 2022. The roots of the dispute trace back even further, to a 2016 complaint by Chamkaur Singh. In that complaint, he alleged paying the brothers for the 7.5 acres, but they only registered 2 acres in his name, refusing to transfer the remaining 5.5 acres. The 2022 FIR was lodged under Sections 420 and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
The recent arrest underscores the tangled and often volatile nature of high-stakes land disputes in Ludhiana's industrial landscape. It highlights the persistence of the complainant and the police's renewed investigative efforts in a case involving influential local figures.
