Telangana IT Minister Sridhar Babu’s forged letter circulated on WhatsApp; probe ordered

Hyderabad: A forged letter falsely attributed to Telangana IT Minister D Sridhar Babu has prompted a criminal investigation by the Central Crime Station (CCS).

The issue has sparked concerns over a possible attempt to misuse official credentials for fraudulent purposes.

The forgery came to light on May 10, when the minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), U. Raghu Ram Sharma, received a WhatsApp message from an acquaintance containing a suspicious letter. The document, dated April 2, 2025, appeared to endorse a cybersecurity project proposal from an Ahmedabad-based company and bore Sharma’s forged signature.

An internal verification by the minister’s office revealed that the letter was fabricated. It used an outdated official letterhead format that had been discontinued as of March 26. Additionally, the letter number “4145” had already been issued in October 2024, while authentic letters issued on April 2, 2025, started with the number “7059.”

Terming the incident a serious breach, Sharma stated in his complaint: “This act not only damages individual reputations but also undermines the credibility and integrity of the minister’s office.”

The complaint was first registered at Saifabad Police Station and later transferred to the CCS.

On June 3, CCS re-registered the case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 336(3) (forgery for cheating), 337 (forgery of public records), and 340(2) (using a forged document as genuine).

The CCS is currently investigating the source of the forged letter and the intent behind its circulation.