Property fraud using forged documents is a serious problem in parts of Patna's real estate market, particularly in transactions involving older properties in Rajendra Nagar, Adampur, and the peri-urban areas where historical land records are sometimes inconsistent and the gap between revenue records and registered deeds is exploited by fraudsters. If you have discovered or have reason to suspect that documents in your transaction were forged, you must act simultaneously on two fronts — criminal and civil — because delay benefits the fraudster and may allow the property to pass to a third party.

On the criminal front, file an FIR immediately at the police station with territorial jurisdiction over the property's location. The relevant offences under the BNS are: forgery of a document (Sections 336–340 BNS, replacing Sections 463–471 IPC), cheating (Section 318 BNS, replacing Section 420 IPC), and using a forged document as genuine (Section 340 BNS, replacing Section 471 IPC). Simultaneously, notify the Sub-Registrar's office where the forged deed was registered — the Registering Officer has the power to impound a document suspected of being forged under Section 74 of the Registration Act 1908 and to refer the matter to the Collector. The Inspector General of Registration, Bihar can be approached if the Sub-Registrar does not act. The criminal complaint does two things: it triggers a police investigation and creates a formal record of the dispute, which is essential before any third-party transfer of the property can be completed.

On the civil front, file a suit for cancellation of the forged sale deed under Section 31 of the Specific Relief Act 1963, seeking a declaration that the document is void and your title is unaffected. File simultaneously for an interim injunction restraining any further transfer of the property pending the suit — this is the most urgent step to prevent the fraudster from selling to an innocent third-party buyer whose protected status would complicate your recovery. Patna's real estate fraud cases often involve a chain of quick re-sales specifically designed to create the impression of a bona fide purchase; stopping that chain with an early injunction is critical. The property and criminal lawyers at the Patna panel of Aapka Legal Advice can coordinate the FIR, the Registration Department complaint, and the civil cancellation suit in a single coordinated strategy.

Preserve every document from your transaction — your sale deed, all payment records, the seller's documents as given to you, and any due diligence correspondence — as these underpin every proceeding.