Fake ACB official' arrested in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Inspired by Tamil actor Surya's impersonation of a CBI official to extort money in the 2018 film ‘Gang’, an ‘aspiring’ sub-inspector Nutheti Jayakrishna, who emulated the protagonist, albeit as an ACB inspector, to cheat public servants in the two Telugu states, was arrested by the special operation team (SOT), Shamshabad zone on Thursday.

The modus operandi of Jayakrishna was to source the contact numbers of his targets, call them while identifying himself as an inspector with the Telangana ACB and warn them that the ACB has received complaints against them about amassing wealth.

“Tipping them off about impending raids, he would give settlement options," said DCP Shamshabad K. Narayana Reddy.  

Jayakrishna has 32 cases of cheating and snatching against him in different parts of Andhra Pradesh. With increased surveillance on his activities in Andhra Pradesh, he shifted base to Bengaluru after his release from jail in June 2022, along with his ailing mother and father.

Since then he started targeting officers in Telangana. During the past year, he ‘contacted’ officers from irrigation, electricity, education, BC welfare, social welfare, handloom and textiles, food safety, tourism, revenue, panchayat raj, Markfed and civil supplies departments in Hyderabad, Medchal, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Manchirayala, Warangal, Medak, Nizampet, Kothagudem and Sanga Reddy districts. He collected a minimum of ₹ one lakh from each of his victims.

Two cases were recently registered against him in Siddipet district, following which SOT started an inquiry and found that he was on a looting spree in the city too. Accordingly, a case was registered and based on technical evidence, he was nabbed.

Inquiries revealed that since last month, over ₹1.20 crore deposits have been credited into multiple accounts used by him. The amount was spent on luxuries like trips to Goa and partying in pubs. He also spent a portion on his mother’s medical expenses. He used over 200 SIM cards issued in the name of different persons and 100 mobile phones.

On his arrest, police recovered ₹85,000 cash, eight mobiles, five SIMS and froze ₹2.24 lakh in his accounts.