Bengaluru
In a significant development, Karnataka Police have arrested one of the six accused involved in a major fraud case amounting to Rs 16 crore. The case revolves around the forgery of signatures and seals of senior officials within the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). An FIR has been registered against seven BMTC officials, with Assistant Security and Vigilance Officer C.K. taking the lead in investigating the matter. The complaint, filed by Ramya, named former Chief Traffic Manager Sriram Mulkavan as one of the primary suspects. Other officials implicated in the case include Muddodi Divisional Traffic Officer Shyamala S., Mamata B.K., Assistant Traffic Manager Anita T, Assistant Traffic Superintendent Gunaseela, junior assistant R. Venkatesh, and junior assistant Prakash Koppala. The Wilson Garden police station registered a case in this regard, and efforts are underway to locate the remaining accused, who are currently on the run. The main accused, Sriram Mulkavan, has been apprehended by the police. It has come to light that the accused forged the signatures of former BMTC Managing Director C. Shikha and the Director of the Security Department and Vigilance Wing Director K. Arun. This forgery allowed them to fraudulently withdraw a staggering sum of Rs 17.64 crore. Following the revelation of this scam, the accused were swiftly transferred from their positions within the commerce department to various other departments. It is alleged that the ill-gotten funds have been embezzled. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy commented on the situation, revealing that BMTC officials had received bribes ranging from 4 to 5 lakh rupees via the UPI app. In response, the Transport Minister has ordered their suspension and emphasized that mere suspension is insufficient; the culprits must be punished for their actions. The investigation into this elaborate forgery scheme is ongoing, and further developments are awaited.
