BELAGAVI:  An inter-state gang of fraudsters posing as government officials is suspected to have entered Karnataka. They allegedly duped people by misusing the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign.

Sources said the team asked people to fill a form which is said to be fake and send it to the ministry concerned and told them they would get Rs 2 lakh for each girl child when the child turns 21.

Earlier, such fraud was detected in Haryana. The conmen in guise of officials attached to the central ministry are approaching people door-to-door enquiring if they have any girl child and then convince those who have a girl child to fill the form to register their daughter under the scheme. The form asks several details which includes bank account number and other confidential details.

They misled people that girls from 0 to 31 years are eligible only for the scheme. But in reality, the girls below 10 years of age are eligible under the scheme and the amount will be handed over by the government when the girls turn 21.  

Filling forms and sending it to the ministry is not the procedure for availing the benefit of the mentioned scheme, according to the authorities concerned. 

The scheme which was started by the Centre to protect the girl child requires people to register the birth of the child at the government office. The gang members approached several people in Shahapur, June Belgaon and Vadgaon areas of Belagavi.