Bengaluru man arrested for posing as Karnataka home minister for Tirupati darshan: Report

The accused contacted contacted AP-CMO and shared a counterfeit letter through WhatsApp, requesting VVIP passes for individuals he referred.

Published on: Dec 17, 2024, 19:53:30 IST

By HT News Desk

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A 40-year-old Bengaluru resident, H Maruti from Yelahanka, has been arrested by Tumakuru police for allegedly impersonating Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara and forging his signature on a letter addressed to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office (AP-CMO), reported The Times of India. The fake letter sought VVIP passes for the darshan of Lord Balaji in Tirumala temple.

The arrested man reportedly took money from pilgrims in return for securing the passes for VVIP darshan in Tirupati

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According to the report, the incident came to light when K Naganna, the special officer to the home minister, filed a complaint with Tumakuru police on Saturday. Authorities arrested Maruti on Sunday, placing him under judicial custody. Naganna said that Maruti contacted the AP-CMO and shared a counterfeit letter through WhatsApp, requesting VVIP passes for individuals he referred. Additionally, he reportedly took money from pilgrims in return for securing the passes.

Recently, an attempt was made to counterfeit the letterhead of an officer to Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar to illegally convert agricultural land in Mysuru's Kesare village into residential plots. The Vidhana Soudha police in Bengaluru have registered an FIR under Sections 336(3) (forgery for cheating) and 340 (using a forged document as genuine) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Shivashankar S, the officer on special duty to the deputy chief minister, filed the complaint.

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In a similar incident earlier, a woman government executive engineer in Bengaluru was duped by a man who allegedly posed as an assistant to Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge. The accused extorted ₹80,000 from the engineer and promised her that he would help her to get the posting. The office of the IT minister filed a complaint that said an executive engineer in the Karnataka government was reached out by a man named Raghunandan. He introduced himself as an assistant to Kharge and said he would help her with her long-pending posting. However, he took money from the victim and did not respond to her calls.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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