Telangana Agri officer pockets Rs 2 cr Rythu Bima, Rythu Bandhu funds through fake claims, arrested

Two persons, including an agriculture department employee, were arrested here for misappropriating Rs two crore meant for beneficiaries of two pro-farmer government schemes in Telangana, police said on Monday. An Agriculture Extension Officer (AEO) in Ranga Reddy District, in collusion with his accomplice, a cab driver, was involved creating 20 fake claims under 'Rythu Bima' life insurance scheme, Cyberabad Police Commissioner Avinash Mohanty told reporters here.

They also misappropriated and diverted funds of 'Rythu Bandhu' crop investment support scheme, he added.

A case was registered on the complaint of Ranga Reddy District Agriculture Officer, who stated that the AEO for Agiryal cluster, was involved in 20 fake claims under 'Rythu Bima' , totaling to an amount of Rs 1 crore, and also diverted Rs 1 crore under 'Rythu Bandhu' through 130 non-claimants of the scheme, police said.

Investigation revealed that the prime accused collected data from the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) through 'Rythu Bima' and 'Rythu Bandhu' portals using Pattadar Pass Book (PPB), they said.

During the course of the investigation, the two accused were apprehended on February 25, police said. The accused submitted a fake claim -- of those who are not eligible such as exceeding age of 60 years, who are already dead -- and made entries in CCLA through Rythu Bima portal, using fake name and Aadhaar numbers instead of original 'pattadar' name and their Aadhaar numbers, police said.

After the enrolment process, the accused used to apply for death claim by submitting his known nominee name and nominee bank account number, including forged/fake death certificates, and facilitated the deposit of insurance amount in nine bank accounts, they explained. In a similar manner, the accused claimed and availed 'Rythu Bandhu' of 130 non-claimants, police said. The prime accused had multiple bank accounts in the name of his accomplice, the cab driver. With the diverted funds, he purchased properties including agriculture land and open plot in the name of his wife, police added.

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