10 June,2009 09:39 AM IST | | Imran Gowhar
Police say he wanted the 'missing' man to be produced in court so that he could recover his money
A lawyer trying to recover his money from a 'missing' person, forged the signature of the man's wife and filed a Habeas Corpus in Court.
Police say it was probably done in the hope of recovering the money once the absconding Muniyappa (40) was produced before court.
However, the writ created a stir when the police produced Muniyappa before court and the complainant, Selvi, appeared along with him saying she had not filed the writ though Muniyappa had been missing.
Enquiries revealed that it was not the wife but the advocate who had filed the Habeas Corpus writ, after having forged the woman's signature.
Coming down on the notaries who signed petitions blindly, the court directed the registrar, high court vigilance, and city commissioner of police, to investigate and file a report.
The background
Vidyaranyapura police received a complaint on April 28, saying Muniyappa had gone missing. A Habeas Corpus writ was later filed in court.
According to police, Muniyappa had taken charge of constructing a building for a lawyeru00a0 at Vijaynagar. But Muniyappa stopped work after a quarrel with the lawyer who then demanded that his money Rs 18 lakh be returned to him. Muniyappa allegedly issued a cheque but asked the bank to stop payment.u00a0
Police said, a gang of four advocates then lodged a fake petition before court.
"This fake complaint was certainly lodged to mislead the court. With the Habeas Corpus writ, the missing person would be produced before court and it would then be easy tou00a0 recover the money. We are trying to trace Muniyappa, who is now absconding after attending a session in the court, and the advocate at the earliest," police said.u00a0
