Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Oct 7: Roshni Umakanth Poojary (28), a resident of Santur village, has tricked her 84-year-old grandmother Celestine Andrade and her 64-year-old father Ronald D'Souza by cheating them to get ownership of 2.5 acres of agricultural property worth several lacs in the market. Recently, Celestine was left paralyzed and is not in a position to say anything, stated Ravindranath Shanbagh, president of Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF), Udupi.
He was speaking in a press meet held at Vaikunta Baliga Law College here on Tuesday, October 6.
Since Ronald is illiterate, Roshni was able to take her father’s signature through manipulation. Her grandmother Celestine had purchased the land by investing her own savings back in 1967. With the help of her husband Gregory D'Souza, she had developed the property. Celestine has four children and following the death of her husband, her eldest son Ronald came back from Mumbai to stay with her along with his family.
It is said that she would visit her grandmother often and had developed a close relationship with her.
Two years ago on November 9, 2018, Celestine prepared a will in which she distributed her property among her four sons. She had also got the will registered at the sub registrar's office in Mulki.
Earlier in August, village panchayat officials visited Celestine's house to conduct a survey under an agricultural scheme initiated by the Government of Karnataka. It was that during this survey, Celestine found out that her property was in the name of her granddaughter. This came as a shock to Celestine and she was struck with paralysis she received treatment for the same.
Roshni is said to have forged the sign at the sub-registrar's office. She also left her husband of 10 years, leaving several questions unanswered. The Andrade family later discovered that Roshni had taken their signatures under the ruse of enlisting their names in the certain government-sponsored agricultural loan scheme.
Former serviceman and well-wisher of Lawrence D'Souza brought Ronald's family to the Human Rights Protection Foundation to get justice.
Ravindranath Shanbagh president of HRPF said, "We will put sincere efforts in getting justice to Celestine and the concerned sub-registered will be held for such malpractice. We will find about him and take legal action against him."
"The assistant commissioner has a lack of legal knowledge. Due to this such illegal issues will arise. Roshni had also failed to approach panchayat to get RR number. There are so many Acts introduced in the Indian Constitution to protect the interests of senior citizens, however, several old people are still being thrown out of the house by their children. This happens in places even where there is a strong legal system," he added.
"There is a need to strengthen our legal laws and Bills and a necessity to implement them effectively. There are a large number of senior citizens who are still fighting for justice of their own property that was taken away from them by deceit," the president of HRPF maintained.
Speaking on the matter, Ronald said, "I was unaware about my daughter’s activities. We have no contact with her. Our family wants our mother's property back in her name. We only want justice against my daughter Roshni."
One of the other brothers Felix D'Souza and a well-wisher of Ronald were present.