Police have arrested a licensed law clerk associated with the registration and stamp revenue department in Nadia’s Chapra for allegedly fudging land records through fake deeds with the help of some employees of the state land and land reforms department.

Police said that accused Billal Sheikh, 43, a resident of the Hatra area of Chapra, was arrested from his home on Friday afternoon.

He was produced before a court in Krishnagar which ordered him two weeks of jail custody.

Police said that the accused law clerk was one of the masterminds of a racket that involved changing the ownership of various parcels of land by making fake deeds and land documents.

Starting a probe on a complaint regarding a “mysterious” change in the ownership of a plot of land, police zeroed in on Billal.

“A few months ago, we had arrested a person allegedly trying to change records of a land parcel by submitting a fake deed. We took the person into custody. During the course of our interrogations, he revealed the name of Billal, who he said used to take a huge sum of money to make such fake deeds and change the ownership of land. We kept tracking Billal’s movements and daily work. Eventually, his role became clear to us as we have identified many lands parcels, the ownerships of which have been changed based on fake deeds”, a police officer said.

“We came to know that Billal was earlier worked as deed writer at the land and land reforms office in Chapra and had developed a nexus with a section of the employees (in the department) who had been helping him change the ownership of land parcels based on fake deeds,” the police officer further said.

Some employees of the land and land reforms department were also under the scanner, the officer added.

Speaking to reporters, Chapra land and land reforms officer Gokulananda Mondal said: “The law should take its own course (in the case). I would request the police to conduct a thorough probe and nab the person or persons involved in the crime. I will also extend all possible support to the police to carry out the investigation.”