Daijiworld News Network - Bangalore (GA)

Bangalore, May 19: While the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is busy touring the state to get the first hand knowledge and feel of the pulse of the people, a man, appointed on a contract basis at his Secretariat was coolly making money by forging the Chief Minister's signature as a quick route to riches.

The Vidhana Soudha Police arrested  H S Kumaraswamy (24), appointed on contract basis as dalayat (peon), after complaints by some persons that they had been cheated by H S Kumaraswamy who had promised them official favours from the chief minister's secretariat.

During interrogation, H S Kumaraswamy admitted to having cheated many persons of few lakhs of rupees by despatching letters recommending transfer of officials.with the forged signature of chief minister.

He hails from Pandavapura in Mandya district. His forging deals came to light when the JD(S) activist Anand H Gowda of Dakshina Kannada district lodged a complaint with the Vidhana Soudha police about H S  Kumaraswamy.

It seems, Gowda has asked the CM's secretariat for the transfer of seven teachers in his district and seeing his daily routine of visiting his office for the favours, the forging peon put a demand of Rs. 20,000 for recommendation letter. Later, Gowda had also given Rs. 1 lakh and taken five letters of transfer with forged signatures of the CM.

The reports also said that there could be more persons involved in this very profitable forging business.  The police are investigating H S Kumaraswamy to unearth more details about the entire racket.