Sircilla: Case against five men for posing as scribes, extorting money

One of the accused was arrested and produced in the court.

RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Thangallapalli police registered a case against five pseudo journalists for extorting money from a rice mill owner posing as reporters. One of the accused was arrested and produced in the court.

Sircilla DSP Chandrashekhar Reddy, in a statement released to media on Sunday, informed that Ponnam Chandramouli, Dusa Rajender, Choutapalli Venkatesh, Avunuri Prashanth and Naresh followed a paddy lorry proceeding to Siddipet from Varalaxmi rice mill, Vemulawada on Saturday evening.

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When the lorry reached Jillella, they intercepted the vehicle and got the details of the owner through the lorry driver. They contacted the rice mill owner over the phone. Introducing themselves as reporters, they demanded Rs.20,000 saying that he was illegally transporting paddy. They threatened to inform officials if he did not give them the money.

The rice mill owner then paid them but also lodged a complaint with the police, following which IPS officer Rahul Reddy registered a case and began investigation.

Police arrested one accused Chandramouli and recovered Rs.20,000 from him. The remaining four accused were absconding. Chandramouli was produced before court.