Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Oct 7: Police personnel of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Andhra Pradesh (AP) have arrested six persons from Dakshina Kannada (DK) district on the allegation of siphoning off money running into hundreds of crores of rupees from the AP Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The arrested persons are Yogeesh Acharya (40) from Moodbidri, Uday Shetty (35) from Kantavara, Brijeshi Rai (35) from Mangaluru, Gangadhar Suvarna (45) from Beltangady and two others.
It is learnt that an attempt was made to swindle a sum of Rs 117 crore from the above fund with fake signatures. Out of this, six people from DK were involved with an attempt to embezzle Rs 52 crore, it is said. Secretary in the revenue department of AP, Muralikrishna Rao P, had complained about the said fraud and a case was registered in Thullur police station. Anti-Corruption Bureau police had undertaken the probe.
The cheating had come to the fore during the checking of cheques issued and money sanctioned. AP chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, had ordered for investigation during which it came to light that a total sum of Rs 117 crore had been defrauded.
The bank officer got doubt when Yogeesh Acharya Moodbidri tendered a cheque of Rs 52 crore for encashment. He contacted the AP CM Relief Fund officials. Then it was found that the cheque with fake signatures was used. The cheque payment was withheld after which the Andhra police came to Moodbidri and arrested Yogeesh Acharya and Uday Shetty. The two were produced at Moodbidri court and taken to Andhra on the basis of body warrant. It is said that both Yogeesh and Uday were in Mumbai till recently and had returned to their hometown.
The police are also investigating fraud attempt by using Benami records and cheques in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. As there is suspicion of high level officials and those in contact with them were involved in the fraud attempt, the government has ordered a high level probe.
City police commissioner, Vikash Kumar, said that after two persons were arrested by the Andhra police a month back relating to fraud, the local police do not have any information about either the fraud or further investigation.