Technical Glitch Compels Pune Property Owners to Visit Police Stations for Tenant Verification
In a recent development, property owners in Pune who have rented out their properties in the year 2023 are facing an unexpected hurdle. A glitch in the online tenant verification system has compelled these property owners to physically visit their nearest police stations for tenant verification.
The online tenant verification process, which was functioning seamlessly until 2022, encountered technical issues this year. Specifically, the online rental agreements executed in 2023 could not be integrated into the police’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) due to the glitch. As a result, property owners who have completed online rental agreements this year are now required to visit their local police stations to carry out the tenant verification process.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) R Raja highlighted the situation, stating, “Under such circumstances, property owners, who have executed online rental agreements this year, must visit the nearest police stations for the tenant verification process.” He emphasized that this manual verification process is necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of tenant information.
At the police station, property owners need to complete a form detailing tenant information and submit it for verification. Additionally, a copy of this form should be provided to the respective society committee for record-keeping purposes. This information serves as a critical resource in case of any suspicions or adverse information regarding tenants, aiding further investigation.
The necessity for stringent tenant verification was underscored earlier this year when the Pune police issued notices to housing societies in Hadapsar, Mundhwa, and Kondhwa. These notices mandated that housing societies ensure mandatory police verification of tenants and maintain records of such verifications. This directive followed the apprehension of two terror suspects residing in a rented flat in Kondhwa for over a year.
The police notice specifically stated, “Every house owner must ensure police verification and submit the information about the tenant at the nearest police station or else they would have to face legal action under Section 188 of IPC. Also, if the society allows entry to such tenants without verification, then the society’s chairperson or secretary would have to face action.”
To alleviate any confusion among housing societies and property owners, a recent commissionerate-level meeting reiterated the importance of adhering to these regulations. R Raja emphasized, “The aim was to ensure that there is no confusion among the housing societies as well as the police. Those not following the rule would face action under Section 188 of IPC.”
Vaibhav Mane, the chairperson of the Foundation of Housing Societies of South Hadapsar, welcomed the clarity brought about by these instructions. He pointed out the importance of streamlining the process at local police stations to prevent inconvenience to property owners. “The only thing remaining now is that the local police stations should make it easier for people to get the forms and submit the information about the tenants,” said Mane, “so that people do not have to wait for hours at the police station for such minor work.”
