In a mega fraud, a high-level officer of Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, A. Kishan, was arrested by police here on Saturday for allegedly duping Christian organisations of crores of rupees.
Mr. Kishan’s aide Anthony Praveen Kumar Gaddam had already been arrested by the Marredpally police a few weeks ago. For the record, Kishan is a forest Conservator.
Central Crime Station DCP L.K.V. Ranga Rao said Kishan and Praveen formed a fictitious society named Faith Foundation, collected huge funds and misappropriated them.
Their modus operandi was to approach Christian organisations, claiming that their society was undertaking several projects. They offered 60 per cent financial assistance on the condition that the organisations put in 40 per cent money required for the projects. To this extent, they entered into MoUs with some of the organisations.
The DCP said the duo had cheated the Congregation of Catechist of Sisters of St. Ann’s, Secunderabad by securing 40 per cent of the project cost in the form of cheques for Rs. 2.10 crore.
The police acted swiftly after Sister Lordu approached Marredpally police who registered a criminal case and arrested Praveen. The investigation was later taken over by the CCS officials.
Kishan is already facing three fraud cases. The Forest Department had filed a case of misappropriation of Rs. 10 lakh of Swarna Jayanti Rozgar Yojana six years ago. Two more cases of embezzlement of Rs. 15 crore of A.P. Women Finance Corporation and Rs. 40 lakh of the Forest Department were also registered against him. Police said the accused officer was also facing cheque bounce cases.
