Driver, wife steal Rs 80 lakh, property worth crores from 80 year-old widow in UP

MEERUT: A domestic help couple in Meerut has been accused of orchestrating a multi-crore property fraud against their 80-year-old employer, a childless widow. The alleged conspiracy, which surfaced after the woman’s death in February, has prompted a court-ordered police investigation following initial inaction by local law enforcement.

The deceased, Manisha Tyagi of Mangal Pandey Nagar, had employed Ramavatar (as her driver) and his wife Rupa (as her maid) for over 14 years. After the death of her husband, Yashwant Tyagi, in 2020, the couple allegedly took advantage of her vulnerable condition, according to a complaint filed by her niece, Rakhi Sameer, a Noida resident. As per the FIR, Tyagi passed away on February 17, 2025. The very next day, Sameer noticed a suspicious transfer of Rs 18.5 lakh to a man named Balwant Singh from her aunt’s bank account.

Further inquiries revealed that Ramavatar had allegedly replaced the account’s nominee with his daughter, Poonam, and changed the registered mobile number, despite Sameer being the long-standing nominee. In total, around Rs 80 lakh was reportedly withdrawn from the account.

The complaint also alleges that Ramavatar lured Tyagi to Mawana under the pretext of helping Poonam get a job and then coerced her into signing a will transferring her property, worth crores, to Poonam.

Ramavatar and his relatives allegedly witnessed the signing of the will. The property was later transferred to others through legal instruments: the Mangal Pandey Nagar house was gifted by Poonam to a man named Kuldeep, while agricultural land in Purgoyna, Hapur, was allegedly taken over by Rajneesh Tyagi. Sameer has also raised suspicions of a planned murder in connection with these events. Acting on the directions of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Civil Lines Police have registered an FIR against eight persons: Ramavatar, Rupa, Poonam, Kuldeep, Jasveer Tyagi, Neeraj Goel, and Manoj Gupta.

They have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including cheating (318(4), 338), forgery (336(3)), use of forged documents as genuine (340(2)), criminal conspiracy (61(2)), criminal intimidation (351(2)), and causing property loss or damage (324(2)).

Speaking to the TOI, Sameer’s lawyer Vinod Kumar said, “This is a case of breach of trust. There are some questions why was the will registered in Mawana which is 38 kilometers from Meerut city where the deceased’s property is located.

Then, no application for the execution of will was made after the death. Thirdly, all through the years, Ramavtar never mentioned about the withdrawal of money to Rakhi Sameer despite the fact, he was employed by Sameer only.Despite repeated attempts, the accused could not be reached for comment, however, the accused’s lawyer Veer Singh Bhadana spoke to TOI. “All allegations levelled by Rakhi Sameer are false. Ramavtar’s daughter took extreme care of Manisha Tyagi who was an arthiritis patient and in return she made her successor to all her possessions. There is a registered will in her name. Rest is for the court to decide.”