TDP MLC Ashok babu arrested by AP CID in forgery case

Andhra Pradesh: Sleuths of Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department have arrested TDP MLC Ashok Babu in a forgery case. The accused P Ashok Babu had shown his academic qualification as B.Com. However, he did not have a B.Com degree.

Earlier, CID registered a forgery case against Telugu Desam Party MLC P Ashok Babu for entering false information into his service record during his tenure as Assistant Commercial Tax Officer. He was booked under section 477A (officer or servant, willfully, and with intent to defraud), 465 (forgery), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), at CID PS, A.P, Mangalagiri on January 24, 2022.

According to FIR, D.Geetha Madhuri, Joint Commissioner of State Tax (Services), Andhra Pradesh lodged a comprehensive complaint with CID, against the tampering of service records of P. Ashok Babu, former Assistant Commercial Tax Officer posted at the Joint Commissioner (ST), Vijayawada - l Division, Vijayawada, and presently Member of Legislative Council. Ashok Babu had wrongly claimed that he was a graduate and had mentioned pending cases in his election affidavit. The department had concluded that there were no pending cases against him.

B Mehar Kumar, president of AP Commercial Taxes Employees' Association said some staff members and officials, who were maintaining service records, connived with Ashok Babu' and faked academic qualification.

The case was heard by Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta in August 2021. In its order, Lokayukta directed the government to hand over the matter to C.B.C.I.D for a thorough probe and identify the Public Servant involved. It also directed them to prosecute those involved under IPC and intimate the action to Lokayukta under section 12 (2) of the Lokayukta Act, 1983.

THE CASE:

AP Lokayukta P Lakshman Reddy had directed the Special Chief Secretary (Commercial Taxes) to let the CBCID probe the way the service record of P Ashok Babu, former leader of AP NGOs, who is now a sitting TDP MLC.

Justice Lakshman Reddy issued an interim order after hearing a complaint from B Mehar Kumar, president of AP Commercial Taxes Employees' Association, who accused Ashok Babu of forging his service record. He showed his academic qualification as B.Com, though he did not have the degree.

Mehar Kumar said Ashok Babu earlier wanted to be posted in the head office of the Commercial Taxes Department. As that was possible only if he possessed a B.Com degree, he connived with some officials maintaining the service records and ensured that false information was entered into his records. Later, Ashok Babu got the wrong entries struck off the service record. But traces of his unlawful attempt were very much visible in the record, he said.

Mehar Kumar, who provided all the evidence for this wrongdoing, was aghast when the inquiry officer gave Ashok Babu a clean chit. He then made a complaint to the Lokayukta. Justice Lakshman Reddy called for a report from the Special Chief Secretary (Commercial Taxes) on the matter

Lokayukta in his order said it could be logically concluded that the wrong entry related to Ashok Babu's BCom qualification was struck off later as this was fraught with serious consequences. "Mere disciplinary action is not sufficient in such cases; criminal action too should be initiated to deter others from implementing such wrong plans. Tell us the action taken by you in this regard," the Lokayukta said and posted the case on November 22.