Union minister's aide signature forged

Unidentified persons have forged the signature of minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari's personal assistant to obtain grants for an educational institution in Uttar Pradesh with police suspecting the role of some "insiders" in the episode.

Unidentified persons have forged the signature of minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari's personal assistant to obtain grants for an educational institution in Uttar Pradesh with police suspecting the role of some "insiders" in the episode.

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A case was registered in this connection by Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police's Crime Branch on Monday following investigations into a complaint filed by HRD chief vigilance officer and joint secretary Amit Khare in August.

According to the complaint, unidentified persons had forged the signature of Mandala Kanakaji, the first personal assistant to the MoS (HRD), on the official letter head of the Ministry to get grant released in a fraudulent manner.

"The signatures have been forged on printed official letter head and the same has been issued from the office of the minister with a valid diary number and seal points to the involvement of some insiders in the minister's office," a senior police official said.

The letter with forged signature was typed in Hindi seeking release of grants for an institution in Jaunpur district of UP, the official said.

Kanakaji told police that Hindi typing or any other official work in Hindi is not done in the office of Purandeswari, the official said.

The personal assistant also said that he suspected that somebody working in the Minister's office could be involved and that he was not authorised to release grants or payments.

Following investigations, the official said, police decided to register a case under Section 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of Indian Penal Code against unknown persons.