A police constable-turned-builder, Bandaru Rakesh, has been arrested for allegedly cheating banks and the police welfare ‘Bhadratha’ scheme of a whopping Rs2.61 crore, Wanaparthy police confirmed on Tuesday.
Rakesh, 37, originally joined the force as an Armed Reserve constable in 2007 and was later converted into Civil Police. However, he was on long leave for nearly nine years and returned to duty only recently.
According to Superintendent of Police Ravula Giridhar, Rakesh fabricated multiple documents to secure loans from at least three financial institutions. He reportedly manipulated his service records and used forged credentials to dupe his own department’s welfare scheme and several banks.
“He misused the Bhadratha scheme, which is designed to support police personnel, and secured large loans using false documents. His actions have not only defrauded institutions but also betrayed the trust of his own department,” said SP Giridhar at a press conference.
Police say further investigation is underway to identify any possible accomplices or additional fraudulent activities linked to Rakesh’s scheme.
