Warangal Police crack fake ACB extortion racket; five held

Warangal Police arrested five members of a gang that extorted officials by impersonating Anti-Corruption Bureau officers. The prime accused, a repeat offender with dozens of past cases, allegedly targeted senior government officials and extorted nearly Rs 10 lakh from an MVI

Warangal: Warangal Police Commissionerate Task Force and Mills Colony police jointly arrested five members of a gang involved in extortion by impersonating Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials.

Prime accused Rachampalli Srinivas alias Mangala Srinu of Sathya Sai Puttaparthi district of Andhra Pradesh, Naveen JR of Ramanagar district, Mangala Ravinder, Murali and N Prasanna of Bengaluru in Karnataka were arrested while three other accused — Suryaprakash, Tatimarri Venu, and Kothakota Ramana — are absconding.

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Speaking to the media on Monday, Warangal Commissioner of Police Sunpreet Singh said the prime accused Srinivas had been targeting government officials, particularly those working in higher positions or close to retirement.

Posing as an ACB DSP, he called his targets and threatened them saying that corruption charges were filed against them and a case had been registered.

He then demanded money to settle the case. He extorted large sums of money from various individuals.

Recently, the accused contacted a motor vehicle inspector (MVI) Tummala Jaipal Reddy in Warangal district posing as an ACB DSP and extorted Rs 9.96 lakh through multiple transactions. Following his complaint, Mills Colony police registered a case and initiated an investigation.

During interrogation, it was found that the accused Srinivas began his criminal activities in 2002 with motorcycle thefts. Later, he impersonated a police officer, extorted gold and cash from families of arrested suspects in Rayalaseema region, leading to 50 criminal cases and subsequent arrest and imprisonment.

After release, he committed over 41 chain snatching offences in Bengaluru and Rayalaseema, and was again arrested. After his release from prison, he resumed crimes by impersonating an ACB DSP and extorted over Rs 50 lakh. He has 19 cases registered against him, nine in Telangana and 10 in Andhra Pradesh.

The prime accused confessed that he spent the extorted money on online betting, casinos in Goa, and illicit activities in Goa and Bengaluru along with other arrested and those absconding.