Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS/HB)

Udupi, Mar 29: Montin D'Silva (85), a resident of Kallamandkoor village of Niddodi, is left alone to fend for herself by her five children after grabbing her share of the property. Now the elderly woman has approached the Human Rights Foundation of Udupi urging for justice.

Ravindranath Shanbhogue, president of the foundation, said that though there is order that the children have to pay monthly for maintenance, they are not giving the same to their mother. Now the mother says that she does not mind her children not paying her monthly maintenance amount but wants her 2.25 acre of share of the land to be returned to her.

Giving details of the whole episode in the press conference that was held at Vaikunta Baliga Law College in the city on Monday, March 29, Ravindranath said, "Baptist D'Silva, who died in 2006 had left 6.25 acres of land for his family members. Five children were pestering Montin D'Silva for their share of the property. Finally, she consented to give their share. In 2018 itself, she had given a complaint to the senior citizens justice tribunal in this regard.

"Montin’s children were not satisfied with their share of the property. They got the share of their mother transferred to their joint names (partition deeds). The senior citizens' justice board which investigated the matter, ordered all the five children to give Rs 2,000 per month to Montin as monthly maintenance. Though it is two years, none of the children gave the ordered amount to their mother. Three of Montin’s five children of Montinamma have written a letter to the assistant commissioner, who is the president of the justice board and have expressed their inability to pay monthly maintenance to their mother.

"When one of the daughters, who promised to look after Montin did not even give money for medicines, Montin decided that she would sell her share of the property and live. But she was shocked to know that there is no property in her name. Even Montin does not know how her children got her signature. She says that her children have looted the property documents from her. Montin has four daughters and one son (currently having some psychological disorder). The son and one of the daughters is helping Montin to a certain extent.

"At the age of 85, Montin cannot run from pillar to post to get her property back from her children, who have cheated her. If Montin is able to take back the partition deeds from her children, she can get her property back. The foundation has legally helped Montin to submit an appeal to the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada seeking justice. The foundation is dedicated to cooperate with Montin till she gets final justice,” he said.

Montin submitted an appeal to the helpline center of senior citizens at Mangaluru to get her property back as she does not have any other savings or income. She also filed a complaint at the police station in this regard. Children of Montin confessed to all their wrongdoings in the meeting that was held by the police personnel of Pandeshwar police station and officials of senior citizens' helpline on March 31, 2018. They also agreed in writing to return the property belonging to their mother within six months and make RTC.

Helpless and elderly Montin says that she only needs her share of 2.25 acres of land to be given back to her.