A gang of fraud real estate brokers are using chemical alteration techniques to change the amo-unts on cheques to dupe individuals and banks. Several banks have lodged complaints with the Crime Investigation Department against the gang. Most recently, Rs 24 lakh was withdrawn in cash by altering a Syndicate Bank cheque given by a prospective property seller.

Sources in the CID said that Ms Ratnakumari of Rajendnagar advertised in the newspapers that she was selling two plots. One Ravi Kumar approached her and gave her his visiting card. “He brought prospective buyers who were actually his gang members. A deal was struck and they gave two cheques for Rs 60 lakh. Ms Ratnakumar gave Ravikumar a cheque of Rs 1 lakh and of Rs 3 lakh as brokerage.

He took the cheques and altered them to read Rs 11 lakh and Rs 13 lakh. He encashed the cheques with the Karur Vyasa Bank in the city. He managed to open an account at KVB where Know Your Customer norms were violated,” said a CID official. When Ms Ratnakumari tried to encash the two Rs 60 lakh cheques, they bounced. “She tried to stop payment of the cheques in her account. However, the cash had been withdrawn by then. She identified the suspect through a photograph in the bank account forms,” said the CID official.

The cheque amount was altered using chemicals. “Certain chemicals can erase ink on the surface of a paper. The fibres in the paper absorb ink from all sides. Only the surface of the paper fibre is visible and when tampered with, the original writings remain in the inner layers,” said an official.