Superintendent of Police Dalton Marak said, "A case was registered yesterday under various sections of cheating and forgery. Investigation is underway to nab the culprit."

Sangma's personal assistant filed an FIR on Saturday alleging that a man had sought Rs 25,000 in January from Shyangtho Salgira D Sangma, an employee of the Tura branch of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank, "using the cell number of local MLA of Tura constituency PA Sangma".

The caller had said it was a loan being asked of the bank employee on his personal capacity and he would pay back Rs 50,000.

The victim recognized the phone number of PA Sangma and thought the caller must be close to him, police said.

He deposited the money in the account number provided by the caller in three instalments -- Rs 10,000 on January 4, Rs 10,000 on January 5, and Rs 5,000 on January 7.

It was only after the employee returned from an official training that he became suspicious as the money was not repaid as assured by the caller.

The fraud came to light when the victim’s wife met PA Sangma to get back the money. Only then he realized that someone had used his cell number which, according to Sangma’s PA, was no longer used by him.

The former Lok Sabha speaker then asked the PA to lodge an FIR with the police.