The Anantapur police on Sunday busted a fake pattadar passbook racket worth over a crore rupee even as the police suspect that there might be other people involving in such crimes.
The Anantapur SP S.V. Rajasekhara Babu, briefing the media said the modus operandi of the gang of 12 people involved in the racket, said the gang would meticulously prepare fake pattadar pass books and stamps by using advanced printing technology and then use the same to claim ownership of lands belonging to retired military personnel or claim loans on the lands in the banks besides the subsidies also. Besides arresting the 12 people involved in it, the Battalapalli mandal police, Mr Rajasekhar Babu informed, had also seized 17,100 fake pattadar passbooks worth Rs 1.13 crore along with a Mahindra manufactured four-wheeler, Rs 1 lakh in cash and several printers and computers. The police informed that a few present and retired Village Revenue Officers (VRO) were actively involved in the racket due to which the gang operated with great impunity. The accused VRO’s were also arrested by the police.
The accused, the police said, had used the services of a Mee Seva centre at Battalapalli mandal headquarters besides the services of a working MRO and a retired MRO, who have also been arrested.
17,100 fake pattadar passbooks seized in Anantapur district
