Fake certificates racket busted in LB Nagar; 6 arrested, 571 stamp papers seized

Hyderabad: In a significant crackdown on document forgery, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of LB Nagar Zone, in coordination with Saroor Nagar police, uncovered a major fake document racket operating out of Hyderabad.

During the raid, police seized as many as 571 old and new non-judicial stamp papers of various denominations, 48 forged birth certificates, fake income and caste certificates, two computer systems used in forgery and several forged rubber stamps of officials from reputed institutions like NIMS and King Koti Hospital from the accused.

The accused were involved in preparing and distributing counterfeit legal documents using outdated stamp papers, forged rubber stamps and fake certificates.

Six individuals have been arrested, while several others remain at large. The arrested individuals were identified as Thota Venkata Bhanu Prakash, Thota Sagarika, Syed Feroz Ali, Addaguduru Chandrashekar, Addaguduru Anil and Md Jaleel.

Municipal outsourcing staff involved

The main accused is Thota Venkata Bhanu Prakash (55). He is a repeat offender and the owner of Saathwik Enterprises, a notary services outlet in Saroor Nagar. His wife, Thota Sagarika, also played a role in document preparation.

Other accused include Addaguduru Chandrashekar and his son Anil, who supplied outdated non-judicial stamp papers; Md Jaleel, who arranged fake birth certificates; and Jalla Kishore Kumar, who procured fake sale deeds for loan applications.

Several others, including municipal outsourcing staff and a rubber stamp maker, are still at large.

The accused erased text on papers using chemicals

The accused sourced unused and obsolete non-judicial stamp papers from known contacts and chemically erased existing writing using substances like Rin Ala and thinner. They then forged official seals and signatures of advocates, doctors, notary officers and licensed vendors to create seemingly authentic legal documents, including fake sale deeds, caste certificates and birth certificates.

Fake documents are used to get loans

Over the past year, the gang is suspected to have created approximately 280 fake sale deeds and 181 fake birth certificates. The forged documents were sold for prices ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000, often used by buyers to secure loans or establish false ownership claims.

Larger network involved

The investigation also revealed the involvement of outsourced municipal employees from Kamareddy, Narsingi and Bandlaguda Jagir, who helped in issuing fake birth certificates without any supporting documents. Additionally, forged rubber stamps were prepared without consent from legitimate authorities, further enabling the racket.

Public warning and appeal

The Rachakonda Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid purchasing stamp papers or availing documentation services from unauthorised individuals. Citizens are advised to verify stamp papers through official sub-registrar offices or via the government-authorised portal www.shcilestamp.com.