Business war among automobile dealers breaks out in Khammam; cops register cases

Sri Sri Sri Automobiles’ owner Eswarapragada Haribabu and his son Ranganath Eswarapragada of Khammam accused of damaging motorcycles worth Rs 4 lakh at Durga Showroom at VM Vanjar of Penuballi mandal in the district

Khammam: The VM Banjar police in the district booked a case of criminal intimidation and damaging of property against the proprietor of Sri Sri Sri Automobiles (Hero Motocorp Limited dealer).

Sri Sri Sri Automobiles’ owner Eswarapragada Haribabu and his son Ranganath Eswarapragada of Khammam were accused of damaging motorcycles worth Rs 4 lakh at Durga Showroom (Hero showroom) at VM Vanjar of Penuballi mandal in the district on March 5.

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The duo was also accused of physically and verbally abusing the workers. CCTV cameras installed at the showroom recorded Haribabu and his son going on a rampage.

Durga Showroom owner Pesara Chaitanya Reddy lodged a complaint with the local police on March 7, based on which the police registered an FIR against the accused under Sections 296 (b) (uttering obscene words), 115 (2) (causing hurt to a person), 351 (2) (criminal intimidations) and 324 (5) (causing damage or loss) read with Section 3 (5) of the BNS.

In retaliation to the case filed by Chaitanya Reddy, Ranganath lodged a complaint against him and five others on March 7 accusing them of committing criminal breach of trust.

He said Sri Sri Sri Automobiles has several authorised representatives of the dealer (ARDs). The ARDs were not supposed to buy vehicles of the company from any other dealer except from Sri Sri Sri Automobiles.

But Chaitanya Reddy and four others, who are the ARDs of Sri Sri Sri Automobiles, procured vehicles illegally from Sriram Automobiles at Bhadrachalam in Kothagudem district.

Based on the complaint, the police registered an FIR against Chaitanya Reddy and five others under Sections 318 (4) (cheating) and 316 (2) (criminal breach of trust) read with Section 3 (5) of the BNS and are investigating.