Hyderabad: People complain of relief fund fraud

Hyderabad: After reports of discrepancies in distribution of relief, now complaints of fraud by local leaders involved in money distribution are landing in police stations. Middlemen allegedly collected details and OTP number from beneficiaries and were threatening them when asked for relief.

In one such case, Nikhat Fatima lodged a complaint at the Chaderghat police station against local middlemen who promised them to give money, after their house in Shankar Nagar in Old Malakpet area was flooded. "My house was inundated and with the promise of giving Rs 10,000 one Anwar and Yaseen visited my house, along with men from GHMC. They asked for cellphone number and later after collecting all documents, they asked for OTP number which appeared in my cellphone. However, they did not give any money to me and left," said Fatima.

After her husband and brother returned from outside, she informed about the matter. However, when approached the leaders, one of them working as an attender at Government Maternity Hospital (Koti) and having political clout, said they would not give money and allegedly threatened them. Frustrated by their behaviour, brother of Fatima banged himself against the wall, incurring injury. "There are several instances like this in Musa Nagar and Shankar Nagar. After receiving Aadhar and other details they are not giving money," said Human Rights Forum's Syed Bilal. When contacted, Chaderghat Inspector P Sateesh informed that the family had collected the money and all the details and photos of acknowledgment were with the GHMC. "Since the man injured himself and moreover the entire family received the relief amount, no complaint has been registered," he said.