AEO held for diverting Rs 2 cr Govt funds of Rythu Bima & Rythu Bandu

Hyderabad: Goreti Srisailam, AEO for Agriyal Cluster, Kondurg Mandal and Odela Veera Swamy, cab driver was arrested for diverting Government funds of Rythu Bima and Rythu Bandu following a complaint lodged by District Agriculture Officer, RR District.

The complainant, District Agriculture officer, Ranga Reddy District informed the police that 20 claims of Rythu Bhima pertaining to Agiryal cluster, Kondurg Mandal. RR District were found suspicious.

On verification, the complainant came to know that Goreti Srisailam, Agriculture Extension officer (AEO), Agiryal cluster, Kondurg Mandal, RR District was involved in 20 fake claims of LIC amount under Rythu Bima to a tune of Rs 1 crore and misappropriated Rythu Bandu Scheme of 130 fake pattadars and non-claimants of Rythu Bandu scheme and diverted funds to a tune of Rs 1 crore from 2019 till date and sought legal action against G. Srisailam and others.

Basing on the complaint, the SHO Kondurg PS has registered a case in Cr. No. 25/2024 u/s 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 477-A IPC and took up investigation. Subsequently as per the orders of Cyberabad CP, the case was transferred to Economic Offences Wing, Cyberabad for further investigation. The EOW team probed into the case and apprehended the accused on February 25, 2024.

Police said Goreti Srisailam was working as AEO in Agiryal cluster of Kondurg Mandal, RR District since 2017. He applied his mind in availing government amounts/funds under Rythu Bhima and Rythu Bandu and enrolled names of known persons under Rythu Bima scheme.

He collected information from CCLA through Rythu Bhima portal using Pattadar Passbook and submitted a fake claim, who are not eligible such as exceeding age of 60 years, already died and who doesn’t have land for fake claiming of insurance of about 20 members and cheated the government of Rs 1 crore.

The accused made entries in CCLA through Rythu Bima portal by using fake name, aadhar number instead of original pattadar’s name and Aadhar number as per CCLA. CCLA office sends pattadar details for every one year to Agriculture Officer through Rythu Bima portal to enable the scheme after proper verification.

After submitting the enrolment process, the accused used to apply for death claim by submitting his known nominee’s name, nominee bank account number including forged/fake death certificates and facilitated deposit of insurance amount in nine bank accounts of A1 at choice.

Similar manner, the Accused used to collect non-residents, non-claimants and pattadars of Rythu Bandu scheme from CCLA through Rythu Bandu Portal by using PPB number and applies on behalf of them by collecting Aadhar cards and 1st page of bank passbook details to edit the bank account number. He has multiple bank accounts on the name of A2, he has opened bank accounts in Saidabad, Santoshnagar, Dilsuknagar and various places across Hyderabad. So far, A1 had claimed and availed Rythu Bandu of 130 non-claimants and Pattadars. Thus, the accused A1 in collusion with A2 Odelu Veera Swamy misappropriated Government amounts under Rythu Bima and Rythu Bandu to a tune of Rs 2 crores approximately.

The EOW officials have seized material objects and documentary evidence at the instance of the accused i.e. two mobile phones, seven nationalized bank debit cards, fake and forged death certificates and five LIC documentsfrom the house of A-1.

The AEO withdrew amounts with the help of his accomplice and purchased properties i.e. Acres 2.35 guntas of Agriculture land in Kondurg village, Acres 8.20 guntas of Agriculture land in Thummalapally village, and also an open plot admeasuring 183 square yards in Kadthal village. All the properties purchased on the name of AEO’s wife Maheshwari.        

The case is being investigated by A. Sreedhar, Inspector, Economic Offences Wing, Cyberabad, under the supervision of K. Prasad, Dy. Commissioner of Police, EOW, Cyberabad.