Hyderabad: Senior Cardiologist duped of Rs 1.4 crore

Hyderabad: In a shocking incident of cheating and forgery, a 60-year-old cardiologist has been duped of Rs 1.4 crore by former employees of a Fertilisers firm, on the pretext of securing official orders for supply of agricultural farm inputs, under a fake Central government scheme which he named ‘Prime Minister Krishi Vikas Yojana’ (PMKVY).

The case relates to one Dr Rao, a cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon turned businessman. Dr Rao met one Pattabhiraman, along with his accomplices at a private hospital in Hyderabad. The accused soon befriended the surgeon and assured that he would secure orders for the supply of agricultural farm inputs for the doctor's business under the PMKVY Scheme 2016-17 to the Government of West Bengal.

He went on luring the cardiologist by asking him to provide strategic inputs for his Kolkata-based company, which dealt in fertilisers and agricultural products. He further offered a 24% profit share to the surgeon and asked him to pay Rs 1.4 crore for the business.

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As per various media accounts, the accused presented fake documents and stated that he had secured permission from the West Bengal government for the business. Believing him, the medical practitioner purchased relevant materials from a private firm in Mumbai and also transferred Rs 1.4 crore to the accused in 2017.

However, the accused tricked the senior doctor by showing him fabricated and fake orders created by him in the name of  one doctor, Director of Agriculture, West Bengal and Director of Horticulture (Technical), Government of West Bengal by forging their signatures. He handed over the copies of the letters to the cardiologist and absconded with the money.

Thereafter, a complaint was lodged by the surgeon with the Central Crime Station’s (CCS) police and in June 2019 a case of cheating and forgery was registered with the Detective Department of Hyderabad.

A manhunt in various parts of Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad was conducted by the investigating team. The accused, who was on the run was finally arrested on September 19, 2019 (Thursday) from Secunderabad.

As per a recent media report in the Deccan Chronicle, CCS, Detective department (DD) police stated that there might be many more victims cheated by him.