On February 27th, a former High Court judge reported being swindled out of Rs 2.5 crore by two individuals under the guise of purchasing electoral bonds for the BJP. The former judge was led to believe his funds would support the ruling party, but the promised bonds were never issued.
Hyderabad: On February 27, a former High Court judge, Justice DSR Varma, filed a criminal complaint against two individuals, accusing them of defrauding him of a substantial sum of Rs 2.5 crore under the guise of purchasing electoral bonds for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The complaint was officially registered at a Hyderabad police station on February 27, shedding light on a concerning scam that targets individuals under the pretext of political funding.
READ ALSO: Umar Khalid Seeks Bail in North East Delhi Violence Case
Justice Varma, who concluded his judicial career in 2010, narrated how he and his family were cheated into transferring various sums, aggregating to Rs 2.5 crore, to the accused with the promise of obtaining electoral bonds. These bonds were purportedly intended to support the BJP, the ruling party at the Centre, since 2021. However, it was later revealed that no such bonds were issued, leading to suspicions of fraud.
“Mr. Narendran, who is a known person among our relatives, took advantage of his introduction and came to me and sought some amounts from the party in the center, which will be acknowledged by way of bonds. Thereon, Mr. Sarath Reddy was deputed to collect the amounts (Mr. Sarath Reddy is said to be involved in a construction company by name Atmiya Homes),” the complaint stated.
The individuals named in the complaint are Narendran, who exploited his connections with Justice Varma’s relatives to initiate the scam, and Sarath Reddy, associated with Atmiya Homes, a construction company. The duo allegedly promised not only to secure electoral bonds in exchange for the funds but also to facilitate opportunities in the United States for Justice Varma and his grandchildren, leveraging the judge’s esteemed background in the legal domain.
READ ALSO: Supreme Court Directed Central Government Over Standardized Healthcare Cost Gap
“In the present case in spite of my insistence for issuing me bonds no such thing had happened. The said collection of amounts for about 2.5 crores, with out issuing any bonds indicates that the said amounts was misappropriated for their self,” the complaint stated.
Despite the transfer of Rs 2.5 crore in multiple transactions throughout 2021, as evidenced by WhatsApp messages, the promised electoral bonds were never delivered. Additionally, the commitments regarding opportunities in the United States remained unfulfilled, highlighting the deceitful nature of the transaction.
This incident not only represents a breach of trust but also contradicts the principles outlined by the Supreme Court regarding the collection and issuance of electoral bonds. Justice Varma’s complaint emphasized a clear misuse of political funding mechanisms, raising concerns over the potential misappropriation of funds by the accused.
The complaint details the offences of criminal breach of trust (Section 406), misappropriation (Section 405), and cheating (Section 420) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) committed by Narendran and Sarath Reddy. This case has ignited a conversation around the transparency and accountability of political donations and the critical need for stringent measures to safeguard individuals from such fraudulent schemes.
READ ALSO: Punjab and Haryana High Court Questioned Over Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s Repeated Paroles
