<p>It took 15 years for the Department of Stamps & Registration to act against eight officials, including four sub-registrars, for allegedly causing losses to the state exchequer by fudging bank challans.</p>.<p>Three of them have since retired and one is dead. </p>.<p>The department has dismissed four officials for irregularities while serving at sub-registrar offices in Mandya district in 2006. The accused include Sringeri sub-registrar H N Cheluvaraju, who had recently filed a complaint against alleged hawala transactions at sub-registrar offices. The other officials suspended are sub-registrars S N Prabha and second division assistants (SDA) A C Sunanda and Leelavathi. Others named in the case include senior sub-registrar P V Veeraraje Urs (deceased), retired sub-registrars M Umesh, C Vijaya and SDA Srinivasulu.</p>.<p>According to the order issued by Inspector-General of Stamps and Commissioner for Registration K P Mohan Raj, action was initiated based on a complaint registered against the officials in 2006.</p>.<p>They were accused of fudging challans of property registration payments liable to the state for personal gains.</p>.<p>The seven officials — save the deceased — were found to have fudged a total of 153 challans resulting in losses to the tune of Rs 14-15 lakh to the government.</p>.<p>Following the alleged fraud, retired judge B Rangaswamy who was appointed to investigate, submitted an enquiry report in 2009. An FIR was also filed against the eight officials at<br />Mandya.</p>.<p>Though disciplinary action was initiated against the officials that year under the provisions of Karnataka Civil Service Rules, 1959, the accused had approached the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, seeking a stay against the order issued by the Department.</p>.<p>Their petitions were disposed of last year, and the department has issued the suspension order along with penal provisions that allow for imprisonment of up to four years.</p>.<p>Cheluvaraju had created a stir earlier this year after filing a complaint with Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar over alleged hawala transactions at sub-registrar offices. He had also written to the Home Department seeking a probe into the alleged irregularities documented by him while serving at the Sringeri sub-registrar office in Chikkamagaluru district.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>It took 15 years for the Department of Stamps & Registration to act against eight officials, including four sub-registrars, for allegedly causing losses to the state exchequer by fudging bank challans.</p>.<p>Three of them have since retired and one is dead. </p>.<p>The department has dismissed four officials for irregularities while serving at sub-registrar offices in Mandya district in 2006. The accused include Sringeri sub-registrar H N Cheluvaraju, who had recently filed a complaint against alleged hawala transactions at sub-registrar offices. The other officials suspended are sub-registrars S N Prabha and second division assistants (SDA) A C Sunanda and Leelavathi. Others named in the case include senior sub-registrar P V Veeraraje Urs (deceased), retired sub-registrars M Umesh, C Vijaya and SDA Srinivasulu.</p>.<p>According to the order issued by Inspector-General of Stamps and Commissioner for Registration K P Mohan Raj, action was initiated based on a complaint registered against the officials in 2006.</p>.<p>They were accused of fudging challans of property registration payments liable to the state for personal gains.</p>.<p>The seven officials — save the deceased — were found to have fudged a total of 153 challans resulting in losses to the tune of Rs 14-15 lakh to the government.</p>.<p>Following the alleged fraud, retired judge B Rangaswamy who was appointed to investigate, submitted an enquiry report in 2009. An FIR was also filed against the eight officials at<br />Mandya.</p>.<p>Though disciplinary action was initiated against the officials that year under the provisions of Karnataka Civil Service Rules, 1959, the accused had approached the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, seeking a stay against the order issued by the Department.</p>.<p>Their petitions were disposed of last year, and the department has issued the suspension order along with penal provisions that allow for imprisonment of up to four years.</p>.<p>Cheluvaraju had created a stir earlier this year after filing a complaint with Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar over alleged hawala transactions at sub-registrar offices. He had also written to the Home Department seeking a probe into the alleged irregularities documented by him while serving at the Sringeri sub-registrar office in Chikkamagaluru district.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
