Kothagudem: Reporter extorts money posing as official, arrested

Paloncha Rural police arrested a reporter on charges of extorting money and gold ornaments from a trader

Kothagudem: Paloncha Rural police arrested a reporter on charges of extorting money and gold ornaments from a trader posing as an official from the Department of Legal Metrology.

The suspect, Guntru Srinivasa Rao of Housing Board Colony, Kothagudem, who was working for a vernacular daily, had visited a small groceries store at Sarekallu village of Paloncha mandal in the district on September 22 and threatened its owner, Kunja Venkateshwarlu, of serious action saying the measuring weights used in the store were not approved by the department.

He collected Rs 2000, a mobile phone and a gold ornament from the trader for avoiding action against him. The trader, who learnt that he was duped by Srinivasa Rao, lodged a complaint with the local police. During vehicle inspections at Jagannadhapuram on Monday, the police nabbed Rao, who during questioning confessed to the crime.

A gold chain and mobile phone were recovered from him, Paloncha Rural SI M Srinivas said here on Tuesday.