New Delhi, August 6
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Proclaimed Offender (PO) absconding in a bank fraud case who frequently changed his identity and locations to avoid being caught.
The accused was identified as Shri V. Chalapathi Rao who was absconding since 20 years.
The CBI had registered a case in May 2002 against the said accused, a then Computer Operator, SBI Chandulal Biradari Branch, Hyderabad on allegations that accused cheated SBI to the tune of Rs. 50 lakh on the basis of fabricated quotations of electronic shops and fake salary certificates created in the names of his family members and close associates and misappropriated the crime proceeds. The CBI had filed two chargesheets in 2004.
The officials added that his wife, who is also an accused in the above fraud case, even lodged an FIR at Kamatipura (Hyderabad) Police Station in the same year. She had also filed a petition in the Civil Court to declare the absconding accused as dead after completion of seven years after PO allegedly went missing. In this regard, an order/decree too was passed by the concerned Civil Court of Hyderabad.
During the investigation, the wife of accused obtained stay from High Court of Telangana on the efforts to attach the property of Proclaimed Offender (PO). The PO resorted to numerous efforts including constantly changing locations, contact numbers, identity, etc. However, CBI relentlessly pursued leads and finally caught him from a village in Tamil Nadu.
As per information gathered by CBI, the accused had fled to Salem and married a lady in 2007 by changing his name as M. Vineet Kumar and obtained Aadhaar number as well. Through his second wife, CBI got information that the PO was in touch with his son out of his first marriage. However, in 2014 he left Salem without any information and reached Bhopal where worked as Loan Recovery Agent and then shifted to Rudrapur in Uttarakhand, where he worked in a School.
When the team reached to trace him at Rudrapur, it was found that he had fled the said place in 2016. With the help of email IDs and Aadhaar details of PO in the name of M. Vineet Kumar, CBI approached Gmail Law Enforcement Department. With these details, it was found out that the PO shifted to an Ashram, in Verul village, Aurangabad. It was further revealed that the PO changed his name as Swamy Vidhitatmanand Teertha and also obtained Aadhaar Card. However, in December, 2021 he left said Ashram where he had allegedly cheated the Ashram to the tune of Rs. 70 lakh (approx.).
He then shifted to Bharatpur (Rajasthan) as Vidhitatmanand Teertha and stayed there till 8th July, 2024. He thereafter left Bharatpur and reached Tirunelveli to stay with one of his disciples.
During this period, PO has changed contact numbers more than 8-10. It was also gathered that the PO was planning to escape to Sri Lanka by sea route.
After strenuous efforts, the federal probe agency arrested the accused from Narsinganallur village, Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) where he was hiding.
