Bhadohi (UP): Five individuals have been booked for allegedly cheating a deaf Dalit farmer, Bharat Lal, out of his agricultural land under the pretext of helping him access financial assistance through the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, police said on Monday.
Bharat Lal (56), a resident of Kedarpur village, filed a petition, following which an FIR was lodged at the Gyanpur police station.
According to police, the case has been registered under Sections 318(4), 352, 351(3), and 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, against the five accused, identified as Rajendra Nigam, Gulab Dhar Gautam, Guddu, Dr Hriday Narayan, and Kashinath.
Bharat Lal, who faces health issues and is hearing impaired, informed his relative Gulab Dhar Gautam that he had not been receiving funds from the scheme. Gautam then introduced him to the other accused, claiming they could help resolve the issue, said Circle Officer (CO), Gyanpur, Chaman Singh Chawda.
On February 23, 2023, the farmer was allegedly called to the registry office, where his thumb impressions were taken on multiple documents and a cheque, and his photograph was also captured.
When Bharat Lal did not receive any funds after a long period, he alerted his nephews, Mahendra and Mukesh. They later discovered that the accused had fraudulently transferred his land to Rajendra Nigam for Rs 1.5 lakh, police said.
On July 8, 2025, the five accused allegedly called Bharat Lal and his nephews again under the pretext of completing paperwork for the land. When they refused, having learned of the fraud, the accused allegedly hurled casteist slurs and assaulted them with sticks and rods, leaving them injured.
Bharat Lal also alleged that the men threatened to kill him and his family, and claimed that the local police initially failed to take action.
CO Chawda noted that an FIR has been registered at the court’s direction and further legal proceedings are underway.
With PTI inputs