E-stamp scam: Thousands of tampered papers suspected to be sold by Mee-Seva operator

Hyderabad: A small-time Mee-Seva operator in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district has been found selling tampered e-stamp papers.

The Mee-Seva operator is now on the run, and police have launched a manhunt.

The fraudulent activity came to light when a public sector bank discovered fake e-stamp papers during verification for a loan application by a local infrastructure company.

An FIR has been registered against the E-Seva operator, Boya Yerrappa, also known as 'Mee Seva Babu', his wife, and another accomplice from Kalyandurg town. Initial investigations revealed that he sold at least 13,000 tampered e-stamp papers over the past few years.

Yerrappa was tampering with e-stamp papers and charging customers as much as Rs 1 lakh instead of the actual face value of Rs 300. Over the past few years, he is suspected to have made crores of rupees through this fraudulent operation.

Yerrappa's wife, Bhargavi, is an authorised agent of Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (StockHolding), a subsidiary of IFCI Limited that serves as the Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for stamp duty collection across 25 states and Union Territories.

StockHolding manages the e-Stamping system, an innovative and secure internet-based application designed to provide citizens with convenient document stamping services. The system eliminates the need for physical stamp papers and offers an electronic method for paying stamp duty to the government.

In 2022, Yerrappa Boya, being a known person, introduced Katta Bhargavi to SRC Infra Developers Ltd, and the company subsequently started procuring their e-stamp requirements through them.

The company is engaged in infrastructure development with vast contracts and regularly requires large amounts of e-stamps for business contracts and loan documentation with creditors. SRC Infra is said to have links with the family of Kalyanadurgam MLA A Surendra Babu.

Based on their requirements, SRC Infra would credit the required amount along with applicable commission to Yerrappa's account. He would then procure the e-stamps through his wife, Katta Bhargavi, the authorised agent.

"Our accounts department, while reviewing documents recently, had our staff casually verify the authenticity of the non-judicial e-stamp papers. The Stock Holding Corporation of India web portal has an option to verify the authenticity of e-stamps.

"To our shock and surprise, it was revealed that all high-value denomination e-stamps (non-judicial) had been tampered with and manipulated," said a representative of SRC Infra.

"For example, an e-stamp bearing Certificate No. IN-AP63012699794568W with a face value of Rs 1,00,000 (One Lakh Only) had been tampered with, while the actual duty visible in the system corresponding to that certificate number was only Rs 100. We submitted this e-stamp paper for our loan documentation with Union Bank of India.

We, as well as our group companies, have procured e-stamp papers through these individuals over a period of time worth several lakhs of rupees. We are yet to verify the authenticity of each and every e-stamp procured through them; however, pending verification, we are filing this complaint. We undertake to provide details in due course," added the representative of SRC Infra.

However the YSRCP has accused Kalyanadurgam MLA A Surendra Babu of being behind the stamp duty scam and demanded a CBI probe. Former Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah has called for an immediate CBI investigation into the stamp duty scam, accusing MLA Surendrababu of orchestrating a massive fraud to secure hundreds of crores in bank loans through forged documents.

"The primary accused is the MLA himself, who used his associate, 'Mee Seva' Babu, as a front to deflect blame," Rangaiah said, alleging a conspiracy to shield Surendrababu while scapegoating others.

Rangaiah revealed that the scam centered around fraudulent e-stamp duty payments to facilitate bank loans for Surendrababu's SR Constructions company. He questioned how a mere Mee Seva operator could execute such a high-stakes fraud without the MLA's backing, pointing to their close association, including joint appearances at party events and social media evidence of their relationship.

"If Surendrababu is truly innocent, he should resign as MLA and cooperate with the investigation," Rangaiah challenged, emphasizing accountability.

Highlighting the scale of the scam, Rangaiah noted its parallels with a previous nationwide stamp paper fraud involving a TDP leader, underscoring a pattern of financial misconduct under the party's regime. He dismissed claims by SR Constructions about their 27 years of experience, arguing that their failure to ensure stamp duty payments reached the state treasury exposed their negligence.

The former MP stressed that only a CBI inquiry could ensure an impartial investigation, given the ruling party's influence over state mechanisms.