Forging his way to the top

Manipal man is accused by city businessman of becoming financial services company chairman by copying signatures of its directors

Manipal man is accused by city businessman of becoming financial services company chairman
by copying signatures of its directorsu00a0

The directoru00a0of a leading city-based motor vehicle showroom has filed a cheating complaint against a businessman from Manipal, accusing him of forging documents to become the chairman of an investment company.

Balakrishna Rao P N, director and CEO of Manipal Motors, filed the complaint with the Mahalakshmi Layout police against Manipal-based Sudhakar Pai.

According to Rao, who is also a director of the Mumbai-based Anil Sunil Trade and Investment Private Limited, Pai was an acquaintance of his. He said Pai approached him on July 22, asking to be made director of the Mumbai-based investment company, which was initially into steel manufacturing in Mangalore before shifting focus to financial services.

"Pai along with his associates wanted me to sign the resolution to nominate him as director of the company.

When I refused, he informed me that he would forge signatures of all the directors to get his post approved. He also challenged me that he would take over the company by hook or crook," Rao's complaint said.

In the complaint, Rao said he was later surprised to receive a notice from Pai informing him of a scheduled board meeting, and he soon found Pai had indeed committed forgery to get what he wanted. He added that Mumbai-based chartered accountant Jayashree Ashish Lali Pulia should also be booked for the fraud as he had certified Pai's documents.

Anil Sunil Trade and Investment Private Limited has three directors. Besides Rao, there is Subramanya Rao and chairman Subramanya Kamath, who were not aware of Pai's doings.

The Mahalakshmi Layout police expressed ignorance about the case. "I never heard anything about this case," the station in-charge said.

Forgery?
Complainant Balakrishna Rao, who is a director of an investment firm called Anil Sunil Trade and Investment Private Limited, says he was surprised by Sudhakar Pai's overnight rise to director and chairman of the company.

Rao says he did some digging around and found that Pai had not only forged the signatures of the directors digitally, but also appointed an additional nine directors so that he could be elected chairman.

Rao says Pai even issued ads in leading newspapers that said he was the new chairman of the company.

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