12 held in fake pattadar passbook racket

Anantapur, July 5: The police busted a fake pattadar passbook racket with the arrest of 12 persons at Dharmavaram in Anantapur district today. According to police, some politicians, media representatives and government officials were involved in the scam. The accused were preparing fake pattadar passbooks for the past 15 years. About 17,100 fake pattadar passbooks, Rs 1 lakh cash, laptops, hunting sickles and fake stamps were seized from the accused. The accused forged signatures of MRO and revenue officials and tampered land records to avail loans from banks and other financial institutions. SP Rajashekara Babu said that the accused got government land registered in their names and availed bank loans and subsidies. He said that a special team would be constituted to carry a detailed probe. Sources said that the accused printed fake pattadar passbooks in Tamil Nadu.