Mumbai: Police arrest man who posed as Andhra Pradesh CM to dupe electronics retail chain

Budumuru has cheated approx 60 companies of nearly Rs 3 crore using the name of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Mumbai: A 28-year-old man has been arrested by the Cyber cell unit of Mumbai police from Andhra Pradesh for allegedly defrauding an electronics retail chain based in the city of Rs 12 lakh by introducing himself as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, the police said on Tuesday.

The accused has been identified as Nagaraju Budumuru, added the officials.

According to the police, Budumuru has cheated approx 60 companies of nearly Rs 3 crore using the name of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Detailing the incident, the Mumbai police said, “The accused called in an electronics seller, introducing himself as the personal assistant of the CM of Andhra Pradesh. The accused said that he needs the number of the Managing Director of the electronics seller as the Chief Minister wants to have a word with the MD.” After getting the number of the Managing Director, the accused then allegedly contacted the MD claiming to be Andhra CM and sought Rs 12 lakh from the electronics retail chain towards sponsorship of the kit of a cricketer, the official said.

The accused also sent fake documents in the name of the Andhra Cricket Association and an email id claiming that it belongs to the cricketer and got the amount released, the official said.

After checking the documents, when the victims learned that they had been duped, the electronics seller filed a police complaint in January, prompting Mumbai police’s cyber cell to launch a probe and subsequently track down the accused.

Police registered a case under sections 419, 420, 465 and 467 of the Indian Penal Code and Mumbai Police’s cyber cell started its investigation.

Later police found that the accused resides in Andhra’s Srikakulam district bordering Odisha.

Police have also found that accused Budumuru faces at least 30 similar cases adding that they have recovered Rs 7.6 lakh from his bank accounts.