The Hindu : Ingenious way of duping poll hopefuls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ingenious way of duping poll hopefuls

By Our Correspondent

KAKINADA, JAN. 27. The town police trapped a man who was collecting money from persons seeking ticket of political parties, by posing as an intelligence official deployed by the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, to select suitable candidates for fighting the ensuing Assembly elections. He was nabbed in a dramatic fashion on Tuesday when he went to a private bank's ATM to receive the money from an advocate turned realtor, who is aspiring for the Telugu Desam Party ticket from Mummidivaram Assembly constituency.

Dressed in safari suit, resembling the security personnel of the Chief Minister, the accused with his moustache did not leave room for any suspicion among people, even to sleuths. He was moving in a rented Indica car from one constituency to another, posing as the intelligence officer, collecting huge amounts from prospective candidates.

According to Avula Subba Rao, town circle inspector, the accused, Manne Chinnaiah alias Balu (35), a native of Bestavaripet village in Prakasam district, chose the novel method of cheating people after losing money in his orange broker business. He shifted to Uppal near Hyderabad and has been thriving on the impersonation business since then, the circle inspector said.

One Rajamani, an aspirant for the TDP ticket from Allavaram constituency, took him to her house in Amalapuram and gave her bio-data and some cash for recommending her case. Later, while moving in Mummidivaram constituency on Monday, he was introduced to the advocate turned realtor at his office.

The accused allegedly demanded a huge amount for recommending his case, which was readily agreed upon. He was asked to come to Kakinada to collect the money, as the aspirant did not have the money with him. Following a tip-off, the accused was rounded up at the ATM and police stations in the State alerted.

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Andhra Pradesh