Latest news with #Merin
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Kowdiar land grab case: Police arrest brother of key accused
T'puram: Museum police probing the Kowdiar land grab case arrested the brother of the key accused after discovering that an amount was paid to the treasury for property registration using his vendor licence. Mahesh C A, 47, son of Chandrasekharan Nair of Ganapathy Bhadra House at MR Hills near Puthancotta at Attukal, was arrested after it was found that Rs 14 lakh was paid to the treasury using his vendor licence to buy e-stamp and also as a registration fee. Meanwhile, a lookout notice was issued against the key accused, Ananthapuri Manikantan, who is absconding. He was the district committee member of the Congress party and also a vendor. The district leadership suspended him from the party on Monday following his involvement in the fraud. By forging the documents, the accused snatched a land at Kowdiar, and sold it later to Sasthamangalam native Chandrasenan, 60. The actual owner of the property, Dora Asariya Crips, is settled in America. In her absence, Karakulam native Vasantha, 76, posed as Dora and registered the land to Merin, 27, of Punalur. Merin posed as the stepdaughter of Dora. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Amazon's Hottest Selling Hearing Aid is Back on Sale Hear True Learn More Undo Later, Merin sold the land to Chandrasenan for Rs 1.5cr. Merin, Vasantha and Mahesh have been arrested so far in the case. They claimed that they acted as per the direction of Manikantan. "Except for paying the amount in the treasury, no payment was made between Chandrasenan and Merin or any of the accused. Chandrasenan is also not cooperating with the probe as he has not presented the original deed of the document but he still claims that the money was paid. He failed to produce any proof to substantiate the claim. Only after arresting Manikantan clear picture of the fraud will be known, and we have intensified the search for him," police said. Meanwhile, the sessions court rejected the pre-arrest bail plea of Manikantan but granted bail to Chandrasenan considering his age.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Time of India
Police to question Sasthamangalam sub-registrar in Kowdiar land grab case
Thiruvananthapuram: Museum police probing Kowdiar land grab case will question Sasthamangalam sub-registrar to check his involvement in the fraud. Police decided to question him after getting clues about the involvement of some officials in the sub-registrar office in the fraud. Probe team believes that without help from officials in sub-registrar office such a huge fraud would not have taken place. Police have already arrested Merin Jacob, 27, of Puthu Parambil in Punalur and Vasantha, 76, of Cheenivila Palakkad Veedu at Karakulam in the case. The actual owner of the land, Dora Asariya Crips, has been living in America for the past 10 years and the registration was done in her absence. By forging documents, the accused registered the land in Merin's name and later it was sold for Rs 1.5 crore. The fraud came to light when the actual owner tried to pay property tax. According to the probe team, Merin and Vasantha were acting on the directions of Ananthapuri Manikantan, who was a Congress district committee member and a vendor. He is absconding. Police said Manikantan was in property registration for over 20 years and he has great influence in the sub-registrar office. "The role of the sub-registrar in the fraud is not yet confirmed, but the probe is on to verify it. The sub-registrar has to examine all the documents before registering a property, but he failed to recognise the forged documents. The accused forged all the documents and we think the vendor might have bribed the officials for it. They even created a fake Aadhaar card of the actual owner. A larger network might have been involved in the fraud and the probe will also check whether the accused have done this before as well," police said.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Time of India
Cops crack 1.5cr land grab with Aadhaar fingerprints
T'puram: The fingerprints on Aadhaar cards and the mobile numbers linked to them helped trace the accused who snatched a property worth Rs 1.5 crore at Kowdiar by forging documents and impersonating the original owner. Police arrested Merin Jacob (27) of Puthu Parambil near Manacaud near Punalur and Vasantha (76) of Cheenivila Palakkad Veedu near Maruthoor at Karakulam. Vasantha posed as Dora Asariya Crips, the original owner of the land, and Merin as her step-daughter. Vasantha registered the property in Merin's name and she sold it for Rs 1.5 crore. The probe team, however, suspects the involvement of a larger network behind the crime as they feel two women alone cannot organise a crime of such magnitude. The accused forged all documents related to the land and Dora's identity card to snatch the land. The fraud came to light when a relative of Dora visited the village office to pay land tax and discovered that the land was sold and someone else was paying the tax. A case was registered soon and the police identified the property's new owner. He claimed he had bought the land by paying the money to Merin, who claimed to be Dora's step-daughter. The new owner also claimed that Dora was with Merin when the land was registered in his name. "When we examined the registration details at the sub-registrar office, we obtained the thumb impressions in the register and copies of the Aadhaar cards. The accused created two fake Aadhaar cards, in the names of Dora and Merin. However, the Aadhaar numbers in the cards belonged to the original Aadhaar cards of Vasantha and Merin, and the mobile numbers linked to the Aadhaar cards were also the same. The thumb impressions in the Aadhaars and the register at the sub-registrar office matched, and using the mobile number, police soon found the address of the accused. They were soon taken into custody, and arrests were recorded," said the probe team.
Emirates 24/7
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Emirates 24/7
13th Sikka Art & Design Festival Kicks Off on Friday, 31st January 2025
The 13th edition of Sikka Art & Design Festival will commence tomorrow evening, Friday 31st January 2025, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. Running until 9 February at the Al Shindagha Historic District under the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy, the festival aims to provide an innovative platform that showcases diverse art forms, celebrates pioneering and emerging artists from the UAE and the Gulf, and strengthens Dubai's position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent. This year's edition boasts a rich agenda filled with exhibitions, programmes, activities, live performances, visual arts, unique culinary experiences and beyond. More than 40 public art pieces and installations will be displayed across 19 houses, the courtyard and alleyways of Al Shindagha, and along Dubai Creek, each offering diverse art forms, distinctive installations, sculptures, and interactive spaces. Three houses and two courtyards will be dedicated to talent development, alongside a space for people of determination to encourage them to showcase their creativity. Additionally, 13 murals created by renowned artists will adorn the walls around the festival, aligning with Dubai Culture's Public Art Strategy that aims to enhance Dubai's visual culture and transform the emirate into an open and accessible art gallery. The festival programme, part of the Dubai Art Season, will feature over 450 workshops, talks and panel discussions, over 100 live performances, 13 theatrical shows, and six orchestral performances. Highlights include performances by the Firdaus Orchestra under the guidance of world-renowned composer A.R. Rahman, the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Dubai City Sound ensemble. Notable initiatives enhancing Dubai's cultural and creative industries include the 'World Stage Design House,' offering daily specialised workshops and theatre performances; 'Merin' a public art pavilion focusing on architectural aesthetics; and 'Creatives on Wheels,' a theatrical journey combining mobile shadow play and music. Visitors can also enjoy an array of unique culinary offerings from more than 50 F&B homegrown concepts, as well as the 'House of Saffron,' hosting exclusive supper clubs led by nine renowned chefs. The 12th edition of Sikka Art and Design Festival attracted nearly 162,000 visitors, exhibiting the work of around 500 Emirati and UAE & GCC-based artists and creatives, featuring over 300 art pieces and 10 outdoor installations in the historic district. This year's edition promises to raise the bar even higher, offering a comprehensive celebration of art, creativity, and culture. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Zawya
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Zawya
13th Sikka Art and Design Festival begins tomorrow
Dubai, UAE: The 13th edition of Sikka Art & Design Festival will commence tomorrow evening, Friday 31st January 2025, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. Running until 9 February at the Al Shindagha Historic District under the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy, the festival aims to provide an innovative platform that showcases diverse art forms, celebrates pioneering and emerging artists from the UAE and the Gulf, and strengthens Dubai's position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent. This year's edition boasts a rich agenda filled with exhibitions, programmes, activities, live performances, visual arts, unique culinary experiences and beyond. More than 40 public art pieces and installations will be displayed across 19 houses, the courtyard and alleyways of Al Shindagha, and along Dubai Creek, each offering diverse art forms, distinctive installations, sculptures, and interactive spaces. Three houses and two courtyards will be dedicated to talent development, alongside a space for people of determination to encourage them to showcase their creativity. Additionally, 13 murals created by renowned artists will adorn the walls around the festival, aligning with Dubai Culture's Public Art Strategy that aims to enhance Dubai's visual culture and transform the emirate into an open and accessible art gallery. The festival programme, part of the Dubai Art Season, will feature over 450 workshops, talks and panel discussions, over 100 live performances, 13 theatrical shows, and six orchestral performances. Highlights include performances by the Firdaus Orchestra under the guidance of world-renowned composer A.R. Rahman, the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Dubai City Sound ensemble. Notable initiatives enhancing Dubai's cultural and creative industries include the 'World Stage Design House,' offering daily specialised workshops and theatre performances; 'Merin' a public art pavilion focusing on architectural aesthetics; and 'Creatives on Wheels,' a theatrical journey combining mobile shadow play and music. Visitors can also enjoy an array of unique culinary offerings from more than 50 F&B homegrown concepts, as well as the 'House of Saffron,' hosting exclusive supper clubs led by nine renowned chefs. The 12th edition of Sikka Art and Design Festival attracted nearly 162,000 visitors, exhibiting the work of around 500 Emirati and UAE & GCC-based artists and creatives, featuring over 300 art pieces and 10 outdoor installations in the historic district. This year's edition promises to raise the bar even higher, offering a comprehensive celebration of art, creativity, and culture. For further information, follow @sikkaplatform on Instagram.
