Taxidermist's assets worth crores lands in row

Legends don’t die easily. They remain in news even after death. Now, taxidermist Edwin Jobert Van Ingen, who recently passed away at the age of 101, is in news, following the controversy over his properties worth several crores of rupees.

A day before his death, Ingen had lodged a complaint with Nazarbad police on March 11, accusing a property dealer Michael Floyd Eswar of usurping his movable and immovable assets, taking advantage of his fragile health. Inspector of Nazarbad station G N Mohan, who confirmed the matter to Deccan Herald, said, the complaint — in English — was received from Ingen’s aide. Following the complaint, he (inspector) met Ingen, who denied any relationship with Eswar, as the latter claims to be his adopted son. Following the complaint, Eswar has been booked under four charges under IPC sections; 403 (obtaining property illegally), 409 (breach of trust), 464 (creating fake documents) and 420 (cheating).

The investigators said, Ingen has alleged that he was forced to sign on the will forged by Eswar. According to the will, Eswar is the adopted son of Ingen and properties are gifted to him. The properties mentioned here are a good old bungalow with a garden named ‘Bisilu Manti’ opposite Karnataka Police Academy (KPA) at Nazarbad, where Ingen breathed his last on March 12, stuffed animals and animal pelts in the house and a coffee estate at Wayanad in Kerala — spread over 254 acres. How Eswar came in contact with Ingen is an equally intriguing story. Ingen wanted to sell his factory (taxidermy) land adjacent to the bungalow in 2005. Eswar, a property dealer, acted like a middleman and succeeded in disposing the property to a prestigious construction group for Rs 3 crore.

Similarly, Eswar helped sell 33 acres, part of the of 254 acre estate, for Rs 81 lakh.  Police are yet to interrogate Eswar, as he has been eluding the police since Ingen’s death. The disputed properties are also yet to be secured by the police.

* Bisil Manti bungalow, animal pelts and stuffed animals, at Nazarbad
*Coffee estate spread over 254 acres in Wayanad, Kerala
* Police book accused Michael Floyd Eswar under four IPC sections
* Properties yet to be secured by police