The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Inter-State vehicle racket busted; more arrests likely

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Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Inter-State vehicle racket busted; more arrests likely

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, JUNE 8. The police busted a major inter-State vehicle racket by arresting six members and seizing 18 vehicles — 15 four wheelers and three two-wheelers -- valued at nearly Rs. 2 crores.

The Superintendent of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, at a press conference here on Tuesday said that the Kamalapuram MLA of the TDP, G. Veerasiva Reddy, who was the alleged kingpin, his personal assistant and five others would be arrested shortly. The dozen members of the gang, followers of the MLA, hoodwinked several private banks and finance companies, mostly in Hyderabad, by making the initial payment and securing vehicles under fictitious names, the SP said.

The entire scheming was done at New MLA Quarters No. 206, allotted to Mr. Veerasiva Reddy, the SP said. The six arrested persons were: Kamanur Bhaskar (38) alias Cheppali Bhaskar alias Nakka Bhaskar and Konduru Amarnath Reddy (35) alias Amar, both of Kamalapuram, V.M. Ramasubba Reddy (31) alias Ramu and Chintha Dasaratharami Reddy (36), both of Proddatur, M.B. Madhava Reddy (38) alias Madhav of Dattapuram in Kondapuram mandal and Chama Ravisankar Reddy (35) alias Ravi of Pulivendula. The police would soon arrest the others -- the MLA, his PA, Lakshman (30), B. Narasimha Reddy (35), Muralimohan Reddy (32), Prathap Reddy, `Mental' Bhaskar Reddy and Arun Kumar, against whom case was booked, Mr. Sajjanar said.

Two poclains, four tippers, three Tata Qualis, a Tata Scorpio, Santro, Honda Accent, Maruti 800 and three motorcycles were seized. The modus operandi was that the gang members hired a lavishly furnished apartment, used to apply for vehicle finance with banks and financiers under fictitious names by creating forged documents that the applicants were class I contractors and paying the initial amounts, the SP explained. The photographs in the applications belonged to the gang members dressed in suits and tie, but their names were fictitious, he stated.

On taking possession of the vehicles, they disappear by vacating the flats and sold away the new vehicles with fake registration papers or without any papers at nearly one-third of the original prices in different parts of the State, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Orissa. The seizure of a Hero Honda motorcycle from Kamanuru Bhaskar by the police on suspicion during vehicle-checking, led to the busting of the racket, he said. Bhaskar secured a four-wheeler by applying in the name of Prabhakar Reddy.

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