The Bombay High Court has revived a cheating and criminal breach of trust probe against two women in a land dispute involving a 78-year-old widow from Wadgaonsheri, setting aside a Pune sessions court order that had termed the matter a civil dispute.Talera claimed that three plots, No. 55, 56 and 69 in Survey No. 51/1 at Wadgaonsheri, were allotted to her in a 1992 family partition after she paid ₹75,000 to her sister-in-law. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)Justice Shivkumar Dige allowed a criminal revision plea filed by Suman Devi Chandulal Talera, observing that there was a prima facie case and that an elderly widow should not be forced to “run from one office to another and wear out the doorsteps of courts” for justice.The court restored the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) order directing Chandannagar police to register an FIR and investigate. It, however, upheld the quashing of proceedings against a third accused, saying there was no prima facie material to establish criminal conspiracy.The order stated, “Therefore, it cannot now be directed that the applicant should proceed by way of a private complaint, particularly when the applicant is a 78-year-old widow who has been seeking justice for the past few years.”Talera claimed that three plots, No. 55, 56 and 69 in Survey No. 51/1 at Wadgaonsheri, were allotted to her in a 1992 family partition after she paid ₹75,000 to her sister-in-law. She alleged that in January 2024, her sister-in-law, daughter-in-law and others used forged documents to sell the plots to a developer and forcibly took possession.After Chandannagar police allegedly failed to register an FIR, Talera approached the JMFC, which directed police to register a case and submit a report within 60 days. The accused challenged the order before the sessions court, which quashed it, calling the dispute civil in nature.The High Court held that the allegations disclosed a prima facie case of cheating and criminal breach of trust and directed the police to continue the probe against Sushiladevi Suresh Talera and Sona Talera.Talera alleged that the land had since been sold to third parties and buildings constructed on it. She sought a fair investigation, action against those responsible and restoration of possession.The accused sought a stay on the order, which the court granted for two weeks.