Hyderabad: The Cyberabad Police Commissionerate’s Dundigal police on Friday busted a gang involved in cheating in people by promising them allotment of double bedroom houses under the state government’s ongoing scheme. The accused who were arrested have been identified as Velisetty Venkata Sathya Krishna (43), Eepuri Venkateswara Raju (45) and Kallepalli Padma Durga (50).
The scamsters essentially fooled the public, especially the poor, who are eager to secure homes under the Telangana government’s double bedroom housing programme, under which two-bedroom homes are being constructed in various places of the state, including Bahadurpally under Dudingal police station limits. According to the police, several gangs are taking advantage of the situation and cheating people on the premise of getting them houses.
In the present case, according to the police, the modus operandi of the gang involved that Padma showing fake allotment letters to all her relatives and known persons. People would believe her, after which she would ask them anything between Rs. 1, 20,000 to Rs 1, 70,000. Like that, she had managed to collect Rs. 1, 20,000 from 34 members and Rs. 1, 70,000 from 4 members. She herself paid for 2 applications, stated the police.
From the amount received, she would take a commisison and then give the remaining amount to her relative Eepuri Venkateswara Raju. In total, they managed to collect a total Rs. 47,60,000 from 38 people.
Eepuri Venkateswara Raju also collected a separate amount of Rs 97, 57,000 from 51 members (including two applications from Padma). After taking his share of Rs.69, 87,000, he paid an amount of Rs. 27, 70,000 to Velisetty Venkata Sathya Krishna Vara Prasad. Like this, all three cheated a total of 89 victims and collected Rs. 1,03, 37,000 from all fo them them.
Police investigation revealed that Prasad, while consuming liquor in a local wine shop, observed the discussion of two strangers regarding the fake allotment letter of double bed room homes. He requested them to take a photocopy of a fake double bedroom allotment letter, and the trio, with the help of one Venkat from Bowrampet, learnt the art of making fake allotment letters.
Prasad then met his relative Aduri Murali Krishna Murthy and convinced him that he has very good contacts in the state Secretariat. Prasad also told them that he would be easily able to get allotment letters for double bed rooms.
Believing this, Murthy then introduced his friend Venkateshwara Raju to VSKV Prasad to cheat victims. Subsequently, Raju convinced his relative Padma to do the same and they both collected 89 applications for the sanction of double bedroom homes, and fraudulently collected an amount over Rs. 1.5 crore. The accused, according to the police, lived a a lavish life style and also used the money for their personal needs.
After their arrest, police recovered Rs. 72,80,000, one plot document at Thadepalli Gudem worth Rs 29,50,000 and fake allotment letters, all worth Rs. 1,02,30,000.