15 Years of Fraud: The Shocking Case of CA Impersonation

The public notice, issued by advocates M. Ravi & P. Harish Varma on behalf of CA Suresh Babu Sakhamuru, was published in The Hindu on August 4, 2025. It warns the public against interacting with Soorampalli Suresh or his firm, stating that any transactions done by him are null and void. The evidence leans toward the impersonator being arrested after the real CA discovered the fraud upon returning to India. It appears that a man named Soorampalli Suresh allegedly impersonated CA Suresh Babu Sakhamuru for a period of 15 years, from 2010 to July 2025, operating a fraudulent chartered accountancy firm in Hyderabad under the name S. Sureshbabu & Co at 1-405, Divya Shakthi Complex, Ameerpet, Hyderabad,. Posing as a Fellow Chartered Accountant with ICAI membership number 027110, which legitimately belonged to CA Suresh Babu since 1987, the impersonator reportedly submitted forged documents, signed audit reports, and filed declarations with statutory bodies, banks, government agencies, and private parties.

The fraud came to light only when the real CA returned to India and attempted to renew his membership. Following the discovery, CA Suresh Babu lodged a complaint with the MVP Police Station, Visakhapatnam, resulting in the registration of Crime No. 288/2025 and the arrest of Soorampalli Suresh, who was later released on bail. Impersonating a chartered accountant is a serious criminal offence under Indian law, carrying penalties including imprisonment and fines. This incident serves as a strong reminder for the public to verify the credentials of chartered accountants before engaging their services to avoid falling victim to such professional impersonation. This issue involves a serious case of professional impersonation in the field of chartered accountancy, specifically in Hyderabad, India. The incident, as reported, highlights the risks of identity theft in professional services and the importance of verifying credentials.

A Grave Threat to the Profession and Public Trust

Impersonating a Chartered Accountant (CA) is a grave criminal and professional offence with far-reaching legal and ethical consequences. It strikes at the very heart of the accounting profession, erodes public confidence, and compromises the integrity of financial reporting. In India, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), established under The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, is the sole regulatory authority responsible for maintaining the dignity, discipline, and standards of the profession. ICAI’s mandate includes conducting examinations, enrolling members, laying down ethical norms, and enforcing disciplinary action against misconduct, including cases of impersonation.

Under ICAI’s regulations, impersonation constitutes a gross violation of professional ethics and, if proven, can result in stringent disciplinary measures—ranging from suspension of membership to permanent expulsion from the register of members. Additionally, under the Indian Penal Code and allied laws, such impersonation can attract criminal prosecution, leading to imprisonment, fines, and civil liabilities.

The damage caused by impersonation is not limited to the victim CA—it undermines the credibility of the entire profession. Recognizing this risk, the ICAI Council had, years ago, contemplated a policy to engage members holding law qualifications to assist in legal proceedings. The objective was to empower these legally qualified members to directly lodge complaints with the police, pursue cases in local courts, and provide professional representation in matters involving fraudulent impersonation. Unfortunately, despite extensive deliberations, this initiative was eventually shelved, leaving such cases largely unaddressed through a structured institutional mechanism.

The current case highlights the alarming collapse of identity safeguards within the profession—where the accused not only impersonated a CA but also established a Chartered Accountancy firm in collusion with other CAs, admitting apprentices and engaging in statutory work for over a decade. This goes beyond mere identity theft; it reflects a systemic vulnerability in verification and oversight processes.

In recent years, ICAI has introduced significant measures to strengthen authenticity and prevent misuse of CA credentials. These include:

• Members’ Personalised Online Portal– enabling real-time verification of member details.
• Yearly Validation of Members – An yearly KYM mechanism was introduced.
• Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) System– making it mandatory for CAs to generate a secure code for all certifications and attestations, thereby preventing document forgery.

Yet, as this case demonstrates, even these safeguards can “crumble like a house of cards” if the initial enrolment and identity verification process is compromised. Without a proactive and aggressive enforcement framework both at ICAI’s disciplinary level and in coordination with law enforcement agencies such fraudulent activities can continue unchecked, eroding trust in one of the most respected professions in the country.

Need for Drastic Action against CA Impersonation

Impersonating a Chartered Accountant is not merely a professional violation—it is a criminal act that carries severe legal and ethical consequences. Such acts undermine the credibility of the accounting profession, erode public trust in financial reporting, and damage the reputation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) itself. As the sole regulatory authority for the CA profession in India, ICAI bears the responsibility to ensure that professional integrity is safeguarded through rigorous verification, swift investigation, and decisive action.

The recent case of prolonged impersonation exposes glaring weaknesses in the system, and ICAI cannot afford to treat such incidents as isolated lapses. The potential involvement or negligence of insiders must not be overlooked. If an impersonator managed to obtain membership and sustain a fraudulent practice for years—forming a CA firm, inducting partners, and certifying official documents—then there exists a serious breach in ICAI’s internal controls. In such cases, the possibility of collusion, willful blindness, or procedural lapses within ICAI’s administrative framework must be thoroughly investigated.

Recommended Corrective Measures

ICAI should constitute a dedicated task force to probe cases of impersonation and identity fraud within the profession. This cell should work independently of routine administrative functions to ensure impartiality. Conduct a comprehensive audit of all active memberships and firm registrations to identify anomalies, mismatched KYM details, or suspicious patterns in enrolment history. Examine whether ICAI officials, directly or indirectly, facilitated or ignored red flags in the fraudulent enrolment process. Any official found complicit should face disciplinary proceedings and legal action. ICAI should not wait for complaints. Any credible information or media report indicating impersonation should trigger an immediate suo-moto investigation. Time to develop a block chain based membership records to prevent forgery at the source. It is also advisable to maintain and publish a regularly updated list of individuals found guilty of impersonation or fraudulent use of CA credentials to warn the public and deter future offences. Further, in cases where other CA is found to have knowingly associated with an impersonator, ICAI should initiate strict disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion.

The magnitude of damage caused by CA impersonation goes far beyond one individual—it strikes at the foundation of public trust in the profession. ICAI’s credibility depends on its ability to detect, prevent, and punish such fraud with uncompromising severity. This is not just about protecting individual members, but about preserving the sanctity of a profession that underpins India’s financial integrity.

Extract of  The Original Public Notice

(Published in The Hindu on August 4, 2025)

Under the instructions of my Client, CA Suresh Babu Sakhamuru, F.C.A., S/o. S Sriramamurthy, R/o. Door No.1-11-27, Lakshmi Nagar, Visakhapatnam, A.P. I issue the following paper publication cautioning the public to refrain from doing any of the acts as mentioned below:
My client is a qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant, having been admitted as a Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) under Membership no.027110 in the year 1987, and had practiced till 1999, and migrated to the USA.

Recently, after his return to India, when he sought to renew his Membership, to his utter surprise, he found that one Soorampalli Suresh, S/o. S. Venkata Reddy, R/o. Door No. 1-33-83, Flat No.62, RTC Colony, Secunderabad, had fraudulently impersonated my Client and introduced himself as a Chartered Accountant, pretending to be my Client by submitting forged and fabricated documents and affixing his photograph with ICAl, and got himself enrolled and started practicing from the year 2010 onwards.

In 2012 he also established a Firm in my client’s name M/s. S. Sureshbabu & Co., Chartered Accountants, situated at 1-405, Divya Shakthi Complex, Ameerpet, Hyderabad 500016, Telangana and inducted other partners, admitted C.A. Apprentices and had submitted all the statutory declarations with Public/Private Offices since 2010 to July 2025, by impersonating my Client and fraudulently signed several Audit Reports, Certifications, Declarations, and submitted to various Statutory agencies, banks, government departments, clients, and Private parties.

My client, after learning about the incident, lodged a report with the MVP Police Station, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, who registered the case as Crime No.288/2025 and arrested Soorampalli Suresh. He was later enlarged on bail.

My client had also addressed letters to various Statutory Authorities informing them about the crime committed by Soorampalli Suresh, seeking action.

Now, the Public are hereby cautioned not to have any interaction with the said Soorampalli Suresh and his other Partners in S.Sureshbabu & Co., Chartered Accounts, Hyderabad, Telangana, by representing my Client’s name and CA Membership Number (027110) and further my Client has reason to believe that even all the transactions that were done by the said Soorampalli Suresh impersonating my Client are null and void.

And should any Member of the public choose to ignore this caution and elect to interact with him in respect of his professional capacity, the same shall not bind my Client and the same shall be at their risk and peril.

M.RAVI & P.HARISH VARMA
ADVOCATES
PLOT NO 292, SEETHAMMADHARA NE,
VISAKHAPATNAM. ANDHRAPRADESH
Visakhapatnam.
Date: 4th August, 2025
Mobile: 9848257384