Govt to deal sternly with accused in bogus passbook racket

• Minister warns of registering criminal cases
• Officials suspect fake passbooks are in circulation in three districts
• Farmers have already taken loans pledging them

Guntur: Agriculture Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao on Sunday warned that the government would deal sternly with cases of bogus passbooks.

Speaking to the media, he said some persons have been arrested in Vinukonda in connection with a bogus passbooks case. Those taken into custody, following a raid on the MSP quarters, include six village revenue officers, who are being questioned. The police seized a computer, a printer and copies of government records. The police investigation revealed a large scale creation and circulation of fake passbooks in Noojendla, Vinukonda, Bolgapalli madals.

The police conducted raids at several places following information provided by the VROs. Officials suspect that such passbooks are already in circulation in Kadapa, Vizianagaram and Guntur districts, based on which farmers have taken loans. The Minister said he had asked the revenue and police officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the bogus passbooks racket. He warned that criminal cases would be registered against the accused involved in the racket. He warned that the government would scrap Mee-Seva centres which issue fake Aadhar cards. Rao said the government proposed to purchase cotton through the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI). It had already purchased 3.6 lakh quintals of maize.