Hyderabad: The Rachakonda Special Operations Team arrested eight persons on charges of cheating by attention diversion and selling fake gold in Saroornagar. Apart from Rs.45.1 lakh in cash, 13 mobile phones, 1 car and a bike were seized from them.
The arrested persons are G.Mahesh, Mohd.Riyaz, Vanesh Kumar, Kanaka Rao, U.Ravi, K.Surender, Shaik Saidulu, A.Saidulu and Prasanna, all residents of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Prime suspect, Mahesh, who is a realtor from Nallakunta was a good friend of the complainant Venkateshwara Rao, also a realtor. According to the police, Riyaz informed Mahesh of knowing Vanesh Kumar, a member of an interstate attention diversion gang operating from Andhra Pradesh. He is expert in cheating people in the guise of selling fake gold as original. Mahesh decided to join Vanesh Kumar as the latter promised him good share.
“Vanesh then shared some videos of gold ornaments to Mahesh on WhatsApp. They continued their communication through internet calls only,” said Rachakonda Police Commissioner, Mahesh Bhagwat.
Mahesh then lured Venkateshwara Rao with the videos of gold claiming to sell it on a lower rate, i.e Rs.40 lakh for 1.5 kg. Rao, agreed to purchase the gold for Rs.60 lakh.
On September 20, the suspects reached the Dilsukhnagar metro station and executed the plan. Kanaka Raju and Prasanna went to Rao’s house in Saroornagar and by diverting his attention using a suitcase with partitions, they decamped with the cash.