Gang extorts people posing as CPI (ML) members, held in Hyderabad

Police seized a car, gadgets, CPI (ML) visiting cards and other material from them.

Hyderabad: The Chaitanyapuri police nabbed a four-member gang on charges of threatening and extorting people posing as members of the CPI (ML) (Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Rythu Coolie Sangham at Kothapet here, on Thursday. Police seized a car, gadgets, CPI (ML) visiting cards and other material from them.

The arrested persons were K Srinivas alias Janardhan Reddy (45), a financier from Vijayawada, who was earlier associated with the CPI (ML), A Uppalaiah alias Upender (42) from Chaitanyapuri, a former member of PDSU and CPI (ML), T Surender alias Suryam, a construction worker from Yadadri-Bhongir district, who too was a former member of PDSU in Nalgonda and A Ganesh, a driver from Suryapet. Another suspect Venkanna is absconding.

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The gang was involved in nine cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, police said, adding that though currently not associated with any of the outfits, the gang colluded to make money by extorting people, especially businessmen.

“They made calls to several businessmen and demanded money in the name of party funds,” Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said, adding that they had extorted money from several persons in 2019. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they were lying low but resumed calling people and threatening them recently. Two persons who received such calls complained against them at the Chaitanyapuri police station, he said.

“Our team utilised all sources including CCTV footage, identified them and arrested the gang,” the Commissioner said.