Former SEC's letter to Union home secy 'forged', claims YSRCP MP

YSRCP MP, V Vijayasai Reddy on Wednesday requested Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to investigate matter pertaining to a "forged" letter purportedly written by former State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar to the Union Home Secretary.

In a letter written to DGP, Gautam Sawang, attached enclosed copies of two documents--Notification by SEC dated March 15, 2020 and letter from SEC to Home Secretary, dated March 18, 2020.

"I submit that there is a reason to believe that the above documents are forged and are fabricated in the office of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Mangalagiri/Guntur as evidenced by the different signatures allegedly that of Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar," Reddy wrote in his letter.

"I therefore request you to arrange to investigate on the above matter to find out the facts for the difference in the signatures observed in the two documents by referring to the Central Forensic Laboratory and to initiate further appropriate criminal action basing on the report received from the Forensic Expert," he added.

Vijayasai Reddy expressed doubt that the letter in discussion was actually a handiwork of TDP, and Ramesh Kumar was aware of it.

While alleging that the letter was created with malafide intention of unpopularising the present government, MP Vijayasai Reddy suspected that the signature of former SEC was forged, and he was aware of it.

A letter allegedly written by Kumar stirred hornet's nest in Andhra Pradesh politics.

In that letter to the Union Home Secretary, severe allegations were made against YSRCP government. Prior to that, the then SEC had postponed local body elections without consulting the state government.

Furious state government has brought an ordinance limiting the tenure of SEC, and based on that, it has changed the SEC. While new State Election Commissioner has already taken charge, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar filed a petition in state High Court against his removal. The case is pending in the High Court.

( With inputs from ANI )