The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fake godman held in cheating case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fake godman held in cheating case

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI, DEC. 21. After busting a major inter-State racket, the Tirupati police arrested a gang led by a "godman," who allegedly cheated nine persons to the tune of Rs.3 crores, promising them "easy money.'' The godman is now cooling his heels in police custody.

At a media conference here on Tuesday, the Chittoor Superintendent of Police, V.V.Gopalakrishna, said that the Tirupati east police swung into action following a complaint by M.Manikya Reddy of Mahabubnagar district and arrested J.V.Dinakar Naidu alias Swami near Chandragiri fort, when he was about to strike a deal with Chandrasekhara Reddy of Pulivendula (Cuddapah).

Simple modus operandi

His accomplices, Reddeppa Reddy alias Govindarajulu, Janakiraman alias Nair, and the driver, Sivakumar, were also held and Rs.10.5 lakh in cash, gold ornaments weighing 1 kg, a Toyota Qualis, five cellphones and some documents seized.

Swami's modus operandi, as explained by Mr.Gopalakrishna, was simple. He would identify persons desperately in need of money, lure them that he would spare his "black money'' if they deposited 10 per cent of the assured sum initially. To convince them, he would even show them a wooden chest stacked with pillows and bedsheets, with wads of currency notes providing the topping. With such an assurance coming with a handsome 50 per cent "subsidy,'' the victims would then deposit the "margin money'' with him and sign some documents. While carrying the cash, fake policemen would accost them and seize the cash after "booking a case.''

Hailing from Mulabagal in Karnataka, Swami is now a resident of Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu. He claims to have taken to cheating after he was cheated twice by operators of fake currency rackets.

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