<p>Belagavi: As many as 14 individuals, aspiring for a government job, fell prey to a fraudster who forged signatures of Woman and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on appointment letters, prompting a thorough probe into the scam by Belagavi police. </p><p>Although the alleged mastermind behind the scheme has obtained bail, Kittur police are on searching for other victims of his scheme, who lost money. </p>.<p>Belagavi district Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Bheemashankar Guled on Tuesday confirmed to journalists that Laxmi Hebbalkar had asked the department to probe the case after the scam was brought to her notice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Around four or five months ago, Manjunath Mallasarja swindled 14 gullible individuals with the promise of a government job. “He forged signatures of the minister and Governor on appointment letters, and took money from his victims. We met the victims of his scheme and asked them to file complaints. Although none of them came forward to lodge a complaint, they asked our help to get their money back. Kittur police have been tasked with probing the scam, and notice has been issued to the victims,” SP Guled said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">One of the supposed victims of Mallasarja’s scam the police contacted was Kavya Gundappa, who herself turned out to be a part of the racket, Guled said. On learning that an FIR had been registered against him, Mallasarja approached the court for bail, which he was promptly granted. He has since been co-operating with the police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Belagavi SP, meanwhile, dismissed allegations levelled by activist Jayant Tinaikar that the police had not lodged any official complaint in connection with the scam.</p>
<p>Belagavi: As many as 14 individuals, aspiring for a government job, fell prey to a fraudster who forged signatures of Woman and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on appointment letters, prompting a thorough probe into the scam by Belagavi police. </p><p>Although the alleged mastermind behind the scheme has obtained bail, Kittur police are on searching for other victims of his scheme, who lost money. </p>.<p>Belagavi district Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Bheemashankar Guled on Tuesday confirmed to journalists that Laxmi Hebbalkar had asked the department to probe the case after the scam was brought to her notice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Around four or five months ago, Manjunath Mallasarja swindled 14 gullible individuals with the promise of a government job. “He forged signatures of the minister and Governor on appointment letters, and took money from his victims. We met the victims of his scheme and asked them to file complaints. Although none of them came forward to lodge a complaint, they asked our help to get their money back. Kittur police have been tasked with probing the scam, and notice has been issued to the victims,” SP Guled said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">One of the supposed victims of Mallasarja’s scam the police contacted was Kavya Gundappa, who herself turned out to be a part of the racket, Guled said. On learning that an FIR had been registered against him, Mallasarja approached the court for bail, which he was promptly granted. He has since been co-operating with the police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Belagavi SP, meanwhile, dismissed allegations levelled by activist Jayant Tinaikar that the police had not lodged any official complaint in connection with the scam.</p>
