CBI arrests offender, proclaimed dead by court, in SBI fraud case

The CBI has arrested V Chalapathi Rao, a proclaimed offender absconding for 20 years in a bank fraud case who was declared dead a few years ago by a court here.

A press release from the premier investigating agency on Monday said V Chalapathi Rao avoided arrest by frequently changing his identity and locations.

In 2005, the CBI had registered a case against the accused, working then as a computer operator at SBI Chandulal Biradari Branch, Hyderabad following allegations that he cheated the bank to the tune of Rs. 50 lakh on the basis of fabricated quotations of electronic shops and fake salary certificates created in the names of his family members and close associates.

Through his second wife, CBI got information that the he was in touch with his son out of his first marriage.  However, in 2014 he left Salem without any information and reached Bhopal where worked as Loan Recovery Agent and then shifted to Rudrapur in Uttarakhand, where he worked in a School.

When the team reached to trace him at Rudrapur, it was found that he had fled the said place in 2016.  With the help of email IDs and Aadhaar details of the accused in the name of M. Vineet Kumar. With these details, it was found out that he had shifted to an Ashram, in Verul village, Aurangabad.

Later, he shifted to Bharatpur (Rajasthan) as Vidhitatmanand Teertha and stayed there till 8th July, 2024.  He thereafter left Bharatpur and reached Tirunelveli to stay with one of his disciples.

During this period, the accused has changed contact numbers and it was also gathered that he was planning to escape to Sri Lanka by sea route.

Continuous efforts by the CBI to trace the accused, resulted in his arrest from Narsinganallur village, Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) where he was hiding.