Man charged with forging publisher's signature

Cheekati Narsimha Rao when he appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi on December 20, 2024. [Courtesy]

A man has been charged with allegedly forging the signature of Indian-Kenyan author and publisher Malkiat Singh Dhillon, in an attempt to promote himself as a production manager at a printing company.

Cheekati Narsimha Rao, appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi and denied the charges. The charge was brought under Section 345 of the Penal Code.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) informed the court that Rao allegedly committed the offence on April 1, 2010, at an unknown location within Kenya.

Rao is accused of allegedly forging Malkiat Singh Dhillon's signature on an appointment letter that falsely promoted him to the position of Production Manager at Printing Services Limited.

The letter was purported to have been signed by Dhillon, who is also the Managing Director of the company.

Rao requested the court to grant him reasonable bail terms, stating that he had been unemployed since April 2024 and had been unwell.

He further argued that he is not a flight risk.

However, Lawyer Kimani Wachira, representing the complainant Malkiat Singh Dhillon, requested that the court compel Rao to deposit his passport, citing previous attempts by the accused to leave the country.

Wachira also informed the court that Rao is currently under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in a separate case involving Sh254 million, where he is suspected of stealing from his employer.

Magistrate Shitubi granted Rao a bond of Sh500,000 or a cash bail of Sh200,000.

The court also ordered that he deposit his passport with the court and not leave the country without prior permission.

The case will be mentioned on January 20, 2025, for pretrial directions