Magistrate convicts ex Southern Railway employee

Chennai, Sep 11 (UNI) The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate for CBI cases has convicted a former employee of Southern Railway, Chennai in an impersonation case.

According to prosecution case, K Rukmangathan impersonated himself as R Rukmangathan, son of M Ramasamy, the maternal uncle of Rukmangathan, and secured a job as khalasi in Southern Railway in 1978.

During recruitment of khalasis in 1978, Southern Railway had given preference to wards of railway staff. Rukmangathan had fraudulently entered service in guise of the legal heir of M Ramasamy and cheated the Southern Railway to the tune of more than 8.70 lakh in the form of salary and allowances from February 1979 to July 2001 and pension after he took voluntary retirement from service.

He also made a false declaration to the Railway Department at the time of selection that he is the son of Ramasamy, knowing fully well that it was false and signed in the records fraudulently and dishonestly and used such forged records as genuine.

These acts constitute offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. After completion of investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet before the Metropolitan Magistrate, Egmore, Chennai.

On completion of trial, the Magistrate yesterday pronounced the judgement convicting and sentencing Rukmangathan to undergo two years rigorous imprisonment (RI) under section 419 IPC, three years RI and Rs 3,000 penalty in default three months RI under section 420 IPC, three years RI and Rs 3,000 fine, in default three months RI under section 468 IPC and three years RI and Rs 3,000 penalty in default three months RI under sections 471 and 468 IPC.

The sentences would run concurrently, the judge said.

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