Vernacular daily reporter among six arrested for cybercrime in Karimnagar

Karimnagar Cybercrime Police arrest journalist Rajendra Murthy for his alleged role in a Rs 42.81 lakh fraud. The money was collected from a victim under the guise of an online gold investment. Five others are also under investigation

Karimnagar: The Karimnagar Cybercrime Police arrested Turaga Rajendra Murthy, the Khammam reporter of vernacular daily Andhra Jyothi, in connection with two cybercrime cases.

Murthy was arrested in Khammam and brought to Karimnagar on Tuesday night and is reportedly being questioned. He was among the six people whose bank accounts were allegedly used to deposit Rs 42.81 lakh extracted from a person from Karimnagar through cybercrime.

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According to police sources, the victim, Bathini Venkataramana, a native of Narayanapur of Gangadhara mandal, was staying in Jyothingar of Karimnagar town.

The main accused, Gantela Naveen from Damsalapuram of Khammam district, approached Venkataramana and asked him to invest in an online business of gold mining and scrap, promising to double the amount in six months. Convinced, the victim agreed to invest in the business.

A sum of Rs 42.81 lakh was transferred to different accounts between January 28, 2024, and January 4 this year.

The amount was transferred to different bank accounts owned by Naveen, Gantela Sudhakar, Rajendra Murthy, Mathili Sujatha, Pichi Reddy, and Mohd Firoz.