The ‘death certificate’ issued by the Ramanathapuram municipality says A. Thottiyammal died on September 21, 2016 but the octogenarian widow is very much alive and running from pillar to post after losing the family property to her daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
The 84-year-old Thottiyammal came to the Collectorate here on Monday, seeking the intervention of Collector K .Veera Raghava Rao to get back her property, which she had alleged was surreptitiously transferred to her son’s name and then taken over by her daughter-in-law and grandchildren after the death of her son.
After the death of her husband, the aged woman, was survived by her son and three daughters. She was living with her son, A Doss, who was working as Sheristadar in the district court.
The woman was held in esteem in the family as she owned 12 cents of immovable property.
Suddenly things changed after Doss died in a road accident in 2016. He had transferred the property to his son Praveen Kumar. Thottiyammal, who was 81 then, offered ‘inam settlement’ without knowing what exactly was transpiring.
She alleges that she was misled by her son and signatures of her three daughters were also forged in the settlement.
After Doss died, his wife Meenakshi, a school teacher and family members produced legal heir certificate to claim benefits. They said Thottiyammal had died and produced the death certificate in support.
The municipality had issued the certificate (Reg No. 135/2016/03/00842) on September, 27, 2016.
Alleging fraud and forgery, the aged woman, who is now being taken care of by her daughters, has been fighting to cancel the ‘inam settlement’.
After she lodged a complaint about the false death certificate, the District Court had directed the district administration to thoroughly investigate the matter and initiate disciplinary action against the erred officials.
The court had also directed the District Education Officer to initiate disciplinary action against Meenakshi for producing a false death certificate but no action was taken, Thottiyammal alleged.
The Kenikarai police too registered a FIR against Meenakshi and her children, including Praveen Kumar and Manju on July, 12, 2018 but no action was taken, Thottiyammal claimed.
In fact, after the registration of the FIR, in which Manju was cited as second accused, the police had given ‘no objection certificate’ in less than fortnight for her to get passport, Thottiyammal said.
She would be grateful if the Collector helped her, she said as she walked out of the Collectorate.