After 9 years, charges in GHMC vehicle scam

Hyderabad: The Central Crime Station Hyderabad has completed its investigation into the alleged vehicle repair scam in the GHMC and would be filing the chargesheet by the end of the month. The scam first came to light nine years ago.

“Twenty-one people have been arrested of which six have been granted bail. The rest have been sent to judicial remand,” said Mr G. Jogaiah, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Economic Offences Wing and Special Investigation Team.

Five GHMC pensioners were were arrested by the police earlier this year for their involvement in the scam, which had come to light nine years ago. The officials at the time of making arrests had said that there were at least 15 more people who were yet to be arrested.

The employees had created fake bills and claimed the repair of condemned vehicles as well as new vehicles which were under the warranty period. They had created bills purporting to show that new parts had been procured for the vehicles.

Officials stated that nearly Rs 26 crore was misappropriated between 2007 and 2009 by officials, some of whom have retired now.

When the scam came to light in 2010, the government ordered an inquiry by the vigilance and enforcement wing. Based on the report, top officials in the municipal administration department and GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy lodged a complaint with the Central Crime Station in May 2016 — six years after the scam was first unearthed.

Those allegedly involved in the scam included drivers, foremen, assistant engineer, deputy executive engineer, executive engineer and superintendent engineer rank employees of the cvic body, a senior officer confirmed.

The accused were identified as Md. Hafeez Khan, former CTO; D. Nageshwar, former DE, transport section; Ramachandra Chary alias Chary, former foreman, transport section; and Rachapudi Prabhakar alias James, former asst. foreman, transport section, all of them from the GHMC.