COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore district crime branch (DCB) police on Thursday arrested a Maharashtra-based man on charges of selling the property of an NRI couple using forged documents.The arrested man has been identified as T Andrew Thomas, 56, of Thane in Maharashtra. He was working as a food delivery boy in Maharashtra. According to police, Sumathi Ramakrishnan and her husband, N Ramakrishnan, residing in San Jose in the US, jointly purchased a 2,400 sq ft residential plot in Sarkarsamakulam village in Annur taluk in September 1994. The original sale deed was lost in 2020, for which a non-traceable certificate was subsequently issued by the Sangagiri police. The couple retained the possession of the property.The fraud came to light in March 2024 during a routine encumbrance certificate (EC) check. The couple discovered that a fake power of attorney was created in July 2023 at the Thane sub-registrar office in Maharashtra under their names, complete with forged signatures, photographs and fake identity credentials.Using this forged document, the impersonator, identified as Andrew Thomas, partnered with D Daniel of Coimbatore and a few others to illegally sell the property to the latter. The sale deed was registered at the Periyanaickenpalayam sub-registrar office. Ramakrishnan lodged a complaint with the district crime branch police on May 14, 2024. Police registered a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code against Andrew Thomas and two others. Police began efforts to nab Daniel and the others involved in the case.
