Friday, May 16, 2008

Property fight imprisons family in flat

Chennai, May 15: An upper middle class family of a physically challenged man living in upmarket Asprin Garden, Kilpauk, is spending agony-filled days within the closed gates of their apartment.    Repeated complaints with the police has not helped them as goons allegedly hired by a local politician had been pelting stones at their flat for the last few days and threatening with dire consequence if they refuse to vacate their own house.  Mr A. Gunasekhara Reddy, aged 56, carried a very confused and scared look like his wife and mother. As he had difficulties in communicating, his brother Mr Jayasekhara Reddy explained the situation.

“Four members of our family purchased four flats from our distant cousin A. Krishna Reddy, an AIADMK activist, nearly 10 years ago after paying over Rs 10 lakh for each apartment. The flat, in which Gunasekhara Reddy is residing now, was registered under ‘deed of settlement’ while other three flats were registered under ‘deed of sale’.”  “The particular flat was registered under ‘deed of settlement’ so that there was no ‘capital gain’ problem for the seller. But this deed now has become a tool for the seller, Krishna Reddy, not only to reclaim the apartment, now priced around Rs. 70 lakh, but also to sell it to another person despite the dispute over ownership is being heard at a city civil court,” said Mr Jayasekhara Reddy, who had come from the US to meet his brother. According to Mr Reddy, the politician and the new buyer had been threatening the family members, while the police personnel at Secretariat Colony police station turned a blind eye towards the complaints from the family.

“We have been trying to lodge a police complaint against the men who were threatening us for the last few days. The police has not only taken our complaint till Thursday afternoon, but had been acting in favour of the other side,” alleged Mr Reddy.  However, when contacted, Mr Krishna Reddy claimed that “he was the real victim and that the other Reddy family was cheating him.”  Senior police officials noted that there would be action against persons who are trying to disturb the family.  “We are aware of the situation. Let the court decide on the ownership. Policemen at the station were also told to take action against people who are trying to threaten the family,” said a senior police official.   

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