Bhubaneswar, July 31: The state cabinet today gave its nod to the government’s proposal of producing the record of rights (RoR) mandatory during land sale to curb fraud cases.

Chief secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra said: “The transferee has to produce the RoR (popularly known as patta) before the competent authority at the time of selling the land.”

Revenue secretary Taradutt said: “It will be applicable to all sorts of land be it private, government or even it belongs to any religious body.”

Sources said that earlier, the builders used to take power of attorney from owners and sell the land promising that the buyer would be given the patta later.

Former president of the Real Estate Developers’ Association Anup Mohapatra said: “This will check frauds to get forged documents on lease land and government land and sell it to the people.”

Sources said nearly 1,400 acres had been encroached on in the city. Besides, cases of land mafia in possession of 430 acres of government land at prime locations in the city have also come to light.

Police said the fraudulent real estate owners adopted a typical modus operandi to trap the people. To build the customers’ confidence, the real estate owners would show sketches of the land maps, and at times, even the hand-drawn Bhubaneswar Development Authority maps.

However, the fraud real estate owner would not give the buyer the original documents stating that he would have to check the land’s authenticity at the local tehsil office. But, the customer would find it a tough task as the lower-rung officials have a nexus with the builders.

Later, the builder’s agent would take the customer to court and asked him to sign on various records.

However, in the process, the proper land registration never takes place. At the last moment, the agent would inform the customer that due to lack of certain documents, the registration would take place shortly or within a week. But, it would never happen, according to the police.

In some other cases, the agents would produce forged documents, including sale deeds, with a promise that the land patta would be later given and sell the land.

“All such things will be stopped. We will insist on production of patta till we get satisfied, then only, we will allow registration,” said a revenue official.