Officials of the Registration and Stamps Department conducted raids on the Sub-Registrar Officers (SROs) in the State on Friday, on the alleged multi-crore challan scam.
The officers identified that ₹5.04 crore was swindled (loss caused to the government by the accused) in 17 SROs in the State, in the last few months. The Registration and Stamps Department officials suspended five officers and booked cases against the document writers and other staff involved in the scam.
The accused changed the figures on the challans and paid less amount to the government. The staff and the document writers, involved in the scam submitted forged challans and documents with tempered amount and swindled the amount, the investigation officers said.
Krishna Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Registration and Stamps Department, A. Ravindranath said that about ₹3.70 crore fraud was unearthed in Mandavalli, Gunadala, Patamata and Naidigama SROs.
“We noticed that ₹2.2 crore fraud was unearthed in Mandavalli SRO, ₹73 lakh in Patamata, ₹22 lakh in Gunadala offices, and the raids are continuing.,” Mr. Ravindranath said.
In Kadapa, the accused resorted to ₹1.08 crore fraud by submitting forged challans, signatures and challan numbers, the officers said.
Guntur DIG G. Srinivas Rao said that ₹7.95 lakh scam was unearthed in Mangalagiri SRO, and raids were continuing in all the 35 registration offices in the district.
“Initially, we are verifying the records for the past one year. Police cases have been filed and a detailed investigation is on,” the DIG said.
“Fraud was noticed in Bhimavaram, Alamur (East Godavari), Akiveedu, Gunupudi, Penugonda, Gandhinagar (Vijayawada), Nandyal and other SROs. We recovered ₹29 lakh so far,” Mr. Ravindranath said.
Speaking to The Hindu on Friday, Registration and Stamps Minister Dharmana Krishna Das said that instructions have been given to verify the records in all 295 offices and submit a detailed report on the challans scam.
“Registration and Stamps Department Inspector General (IG), AIG, DIGs and District Registrars (DRs) were doing investigation. As of now, we have not handed over the case to any investigation agency. Criminal cases have been filed against the accused in the concerned districts,” the Minister said.
