Fake govt letter lands B Pharm graduate behind bars

Hyderabad: The police arrested a pharmacy graduate for producing fake government authorisation letter to mobilise an advance of Rs 7.72 crore from a bank for a pharma company. 

According to police, the accused Kanukuruthi Rama Krishna Chandrashekar (27) a native of Kakinada in East Godavari district prepared forged copies of letterhead in the name of Telangana government Principal Secretary (Finance) K Ramakrishna Rao. 

The letter purportedly authorised the release of mobilisation advance of Rs 7,72,50,000 to the management of Pulse Pharmaceutical private limited through Branch Manager, Andhra Bank of Mallapur Branch. 

Investigation revealed that Chandrashekar, who was made liaison officer by Pulse Pharma created fake authorisation letter from government in order to get purchase orders for medicine. He handed over the fake authorisation letter to receive government payment to the Andhra Bank, Mallapur branch in the name of K Ramakrishna Rao, while mentioning his designation as Special Chief Secretary (Finance), triggering doubts about the authenticity. The Bank Manager, verified the validity of the letter with the Secretariat, which confirmed the document to be fake, with a forged signature. The Secretariat officials lodged a complaint with the police. 

On knowing about the fraud, the Director of Pulse Pharma questioned the accused Chandrashekar over the phone about this fake letter, who immediately switched off the phone and absconded. Police took up the investigation and nabbed the culprit. The police also seized fake authorisation letters, purchase orders and other documents of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments and rubber stamps. 

Earlier, the accused was involved in preparation of fake procurement order for medicines in Andhra Pradesh for release of Mobilisation in Medical department to the tune of Rs 7,77,88,206. Prior to this on January 8, he fabricated and created two purchase orders of Rs nine crore in the name of The Director, Insurance and Medical Services (ESI), Government of Telangana. 

City Police Commissioner V V Srinivasa Rao said being a good orator from his college days he used to attend political meetings. He moves closely with Ministers, MLAs and other political leaders of his constituency Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. Several political leaders attended his family functions, in the recent past. He also used to take photographs with them and upload them on Facebook as well as Whatsapp. 

Later by showing these pictures to various businessmen he also extorted money, while claiming to be PA to some Minister. He used to fraudulently demand huge money to get the sanction of government tenders, transfers and postings of the government employees and several other works relating to Secretariat. 

“Earlier, he made friendship with one Kaushik of Calcutta and took Rs 50 lakh while promising him to get tenders concerning confidential printing in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and cheated him and a case was registered in CCS Hyderabad regarding this issue,” said the Commissioner.