Forged signature scam hits HRD Ministry; probe on

New Delhi, Nov 2: With the UPA government dogged by scams and controversies, the latest seem to be emerging from the Human Resource Development Ministry. There are reports that unidentified persons forged the signature of the PA to Minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari in order to obtain grant for an educational institution in Uttar Pradesh.

Police looking in to the matter suspect an insiders hand in the episode. A case has been registered in this regard by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police's Crime Branch on Monday. The complaint was filed by HRD Chief Vigilance Officer and Joint Secretary Amit Khare in August.

The complaint states how inidentified people forged the signature of Mandala Kanakaji, the first Personal Assistant to the MoS (HRD) that was made on an official letterhead of the Ministry to avail the grant that was released in a fraudulent manner.

A senior police official said, "The signatures have been forged on printed official letter head and the same has been issued from the office of the Minister with a valid diary number and seal points to the involvement of some insiders in the Minister's office."

The official revealed that the letter carrying the forged signature was typed in Hindi that sought the release of grant for an institution in Jaunpur district of UP. He also commented that Kanakaji had revealed to police that Hindi typing or any official work in Hindi is not done from Purandeswari's office.

The PA claimed that he suspected that somebody from the Minister's office could be behind the fraud and stated that he was not authorized to release grants or payments. After preliminary investigations, the police have registered a case under Section 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of Indian Penal Code against unknown persons.

OneIndia News