False legal heirship certificates | Madras High Court orders criminal prosecution against those who seek and issue them

Taking serious note of corrupt practices in issuance of legal heirship certificates, the Madras High Court has ordered criminal prosecution against those who seek such certificates by suppressing vital information, and also against government officials who issue these certificates in collusion with such applicants. Subramaniam has directed the Commissioner of Revenue Administration to issue a circular within five weeks instructing all revenue officials across the State to lodge police complaints whenever they come across any application having been filed for a legal heirship certificate without the disclosure of proper information. During the course of the hearing of the writ petition, Additional Government Pleader U. Bharanidharan told the court that the petitioner had suppressed the fact of having a brother and two sisters while making an application for a legal heirship certificate and therefore, the Tahsildar had refused to issue the certificate to him. Expressing concern over the court coming across many such cases related to false claims for legal heirship certificates, the judge asked Government Advocate S. Vinoth Kumar to list out the legal provisions under which such applicants, as well as the officials who issue false certificates, could be prosecuted.