Hyderabad: In a significant development, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested V Chalapathi Rao, a fugitive wanted in a major bank fraud case, who had been evading capture for nearly 20 years. Rao, who was previously declared dead by a court, was apprehended in Tamil Nadu on August 4 after a prolonged manhunt.
The case dates back to 2005 when the CBI filed charges against Rao, who was then a computer operator at the State Bank of India Chandulal Biradari branch in Hyderabad. Rao was accused of defrauding the bank of Rs 50 lakh using forged documents including fake quotations and salary certificates created in the names of family members and associates. Chargesheets were filed but Rao went missing soon after.
In his attempts to evade arrest, Rao changed his identity and location multiple times. He initially fled to Salem in Tamil Nadu, where he adopted the alias Vineet Kumar and married again in 2007. By 2014, Rao had moved to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, where he worked as a debt recovery agent. His journey continued as he relocated to Rudrapur in Uttarakhand, and later to an ashram in Maharashtra's Verul, where he assumed the name Swamy Vidhitatmanand Teertha. In December 2021, he deceived the ashram, embezzling Rs 70 lakh before moving to Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
Rao's attempt to escape abroad was thwarted when CBI officials tracked him to Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. He had been planning to flee to Sri Lanka by sea route. Despite changing contact numbers frequently and remaining in hiding, CBI's persistent efforts led to his arrest in Narsinganallur village.
Rao was produced before a local court in Hyderabad, which has remanded him custody till August 16. The arrest marks the end of a long and complex chase, reflecting the CBI's dedication to pursuing justice for the bank fraud case that had remained unresolved for nearly two decades.
