The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fake IAS official lands behind bars

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fake IAS official lands behind bars

By Our Staff Reporter

NALGONDA, JAN. 3. A pseudo IAS officer duped a private chemical company's managing director as well as the Nalgonda district administration by posing as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) in Choutuppal. Thanks to the alertness of the Circle Inspector, Saleem Pasha, he was nabbed amid high drama.

Warm reception

According to the CI, the story unfolded when the managing director of Pratishta Bio Limited received a phone call from "the office of the CVC'' 15 days ago. Following the instructions, the MD sent a car to the Hyderabad airport to receive the "official."

The CVC, who introduced himself as Sastry, met the driver at the airport and reached the factory, where he was accorded a warm reception. After receiving a telephonic message from the "CVC's office,'' the district administration reportedly asked the Bhongir Revenue Divisional Officer to take care of protocol.

The local police deployed an ASI and four police constables at the factory where the "officer'' was supposed to make an inspection. A slew of local reporters gathered to report the surprise visit by none other than the CVC. The officer created a flutter at the factory by meeting labourers and finding fault with the management for certain lapses, the CI said.

Meanwhile, the visiting officer's strange behaviour raised many an eyebrow at the company. The local police informed the suspicious attitude of the CVC to the CI, Saleem Pasha, who was at Bhongir. On receiving the call, the police officer immediately recalled an incident, in which he had arrested one Subramanya Sharma for duping the district administration by posing as an IAS officer, in February 1995.

Vehicle chased

Mr.Saleem Pasha gave a telephonic order to the police to take him into custody. When the police team tried to question the credentials, Sharma boarded the car and asked the driver to take him to Bhongir to meet police officials. Alerted by the CI, a police team chased the vehicle and intercepted it at Veligonda.

Sharma and the MD, Sairam, were brought to Choutuppal police station. The CI told The Hindu over phone that he had arrested the same person when he was the SI of Nagarjunasagar for duping the SP and RDO.

An FIR copy found with the accused person revealed that Sharma had married one Sailaja Chitra, a Cooperative Registrar, on March 1, 2003 by making her believe that he was an IRS officer. Vijayawada police were investigating the case, the CI said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh