HC dismisses pre-arrest bail in cheating case

Madurai Bench of Madras High Court today dismissed the anticipatory bail application of a retired superintendent of Public Health Service, who allegedly swindled Rs 1.17 crore of department money by altering cheques in a novel way over a period time.
Justice P N Prakash, who perused the cheques, said petitioner K Ganesan, while in service, had altered cheques to claim excess money.
Citing one cheque, the Judge said for a purchase of Rs.420, the petitioner had taken the concerned official's signature by filling the amount as "420" and "four hundred and twenty" by leaving adequate space ahead of it.
Later, he had altered the amount by prefixing it with 200 in number and two lakh in letter to make it Rs 2,00,420 and Rupees two lakh and four hundred and twenty only and encashed the same. Similarily, he had claimed Rs 1.17 crore from Feb 1,2013 to Oct 20, 2014.

According to prosecution, the petitioner had manipulated the records to show as if the excess amount was allotted to seven block level primary health centres.
A case had been registered on a complaint by the Deputy director of Public health services after the fraud came to light.
Ganesan had confessed to the Inspector of District Crime branch that the hand writing in the cheque book was his own. "The petitioner did not deserve anticipatory bail." the judge said, dismissing it.