Muralidhar Rao

HYDERABAD: A criminal case was filed on Tuesday against BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao and eight others for allegedly collecting Rs 2.17 crore from a city-based realtor by promising him a nominated post in the central government. The victim also alleged he was lured by showing a purported letter with forged signature of Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Muralidhar Rao, however, refuted the allegations and said he had nothing to do with the case.

Based on a court-referred complaint from T Pravarna Reddy (41), wife of realtor Mahipal Reddy from Champapet in Hyderabad, Saroornagar police on Tuesday registered a case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 468, 471 (forgery), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Section 156 (3) of the CrPC against Muralidhar Rao and eight others.

In Nov 2015, the complainant alleged, Eswar Reddy, a journalist, claiming to be closely associated with prominent BJP leaders, approached them saying he knew A Krishna Kishore, ‘the shadow’ of BJP leader Muralidhar Rao.

“Eswar Reddy claimed Krishna Kishore was capable of getting a nominated post in any department of the central government. My husband and I were reluctant to get the nominated post by spending a huge amount,” the complainant said.

' We were pressured to accept proposal'

Later, Eswar again approached us along with Krishna Kishore and local BJP leader Manda Rama Chandra Reddy and pressured us to accept the proposal by saying that they would be able to get nominated membership of Pharma Exil, which functions under Union ministry of commerce & industries,” the complainant alleged. “Subsequently, the trio along with Rama Chandra Reddy’s close associates S Chandrashekar Reddy, Baba, Srikanth, G Srinivas and with active connivance of Muralidhar Rao, showed a photocopy of the letter purportedly signed by Nirmala Sitaraman, saying that my husband will be appointed chairperson of Pharma Exil and took Rs 2.17 crore from us,” the complainant alleged.

Muralidhar Rao said, “The complainant contacted me three years ago over phone about the same issue and I asked her to lodge a complaint with police. She did not do so. I knew some of the accused as part of my work. But I have got nothing to with the case or money.”

Saroornagar police inspector E Srinivas Reddy said a case was registered based on the court’s directions and investigations were on.

