HYDERABAD: In what is turning out to be an embarrassment to the BJP, the Saroornagar police have registered a case against party general secretary P Muralidhar Rao and seven others for cheating and collecting Rs 2.17 crore using forged signatures of Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
In the case, registered based on orders from the Rangareddy district court, the complainant said the suspects offered her husband a Central government post and collected money in return. But they neither got the job, nor a refund.
In her complaint, Talla Pravarna Reddy said one of her relatives, Eshwar Reddy, claimed he was close to prominent BJP leaders and the “shadow” of Muralidhar Rao, Krishna Kishore, who could get a nominated post at any Central government department.
Eshwar Reddy reportedly convinced the complainant and her husband Mahipal Reddy to pay for a nominated membership of Pharma Exil, which functions under the Ministry of Commerce & Industries.
The couple was showed a copy of an appointment letter, issued by the undersecretary to the Government of India. Later, the accused tricked them by showing a letter purportedly signed by the defence minister, and collected `2.17 crore, promising that Mahipal Reddy would be made chairperson of Pharma Exil.
However, the accused delayed the appointment, and when the couple demanded their money back, Muralidhar Rao allegedly threatened them. Later, a BJP leader allegedly approached them, promising to pay them back. He even gave them signed cheques. But the money never reached them. The Delhi cybercrime cell registered a suo-moto case and recorded the victims’ statements in September 2016. Now, the couple approached the Rangareddy district court.