Declared dead 13 years ago, fraud accused found alive in Agra, jailed

Declared dead on paper, but spotted alive on a scooter: an Agra fraud accused resurfaced 13 years after allegedly being shown as deceased through fake documents. A complainant's photograph blew the cover, prompting legal action. Tarachand Sharma surrendered in court on Monday, only to have his bail plea rejected and be sent to jail.An Agra fraud accused who had been shown dead in court records surrendered after the complainant photographed him on a scooter.A bizarre case has come to light in Agra, where an accused in a fraud case was found alive nearly 13 years after being declared dead in official records. The complainant spotted the accused riding a scooter on the road and took his photograph. Evidence proving that the accused was alive was subsequently presented before the court, leading to further legal action.On Monday, Tarachand Sharma, a resident of Nagla Beni Prasad in Gandhi Nagar, surrendered before the court of Special Chief Judicial Magistrate Shiva Nand Gupta and moved a bail application. After hearing the matter, the court rejected his bail plea and ordered that he be sent to jail.According to senior advocate Sameer Bhatnagar, representing the complainant, Tarachand Sharma had been summoned by the court on September 1, 1999, in connection with a fraud case. He was accused of preparing a forged will. The accused did not receive relief from the High Court either.According to the advocate, the accused side allegedly submitted a fake death certificate and death report in court in 2019 to show that Tarachand had died. It is alleged that the entire conspiracy was carried out in collusion with the then station house officer of New Agra police station and other police personnel. After the documents were submitted in court, the proceedings against Tarachand were dropped. The case took a fresh turn on February 6, 2026, when complainant Raj Kumar Verma spotted Tarachand Sharma riding a scooter in the Gandhi Nagar area. Verma took his photograph. The photograph and other evidence were subsequently presented before the court. The complainant also cited a court order dated March 20, 2026, based on which a non-bailable warrant had been issued against the accused.According to advocate Sameer Bhatnagar, Raj Kumar Verma had filed an application before the court against Tarachand Sharma, Girish Chand Sharma, the then station house officer of New Agra police station, the police personnel concerned and others. Following the court's order, a case was registered against the then SHO and the other accused on March 9, 2026. After Tarachand Sharma surrendered before the court on Monday, his bail application was heard. Considering the evidence presented by the complainant and the circumstances of the case, the court rejected the bail plea and ordered that the accused be sent to jail.- EndsInputs from Nitin UpadhyayPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Aug 25, 2026 21:25 IST