Three Arrested on Cheating Charges in Eluru

 Kakinada: Mudinepalli police in Eluru district have arrested three individuals—Dabba Eswar,24, of Nakkalamallalu Peta village in Venkatagiri mandal (Nellore district), Banavathu Chinna,25, Bukya Sambra alias Syam,26, of Vempadu village in Chittoor district—on charges of cheating and assaulting a complainant, Pandraju Ravindra Kumar of Chennuru village in Pedana mandal. The police have recovered Rs. 16 lakhs in cash and seized a fake gold necklace and mobile phones.

Eluru district superintendent of police K. Prathap Siva Kishore briefed the media on Saturday, detailing the case. Ravindra Kumar, an aquaculture farmer, was approached by Eswar, a former employee at his aqua pond, who promised to sell him gold at a low price. Eswar convinced Kumar to advance Rs. 5 lakh, assuring him that the gold was genuine.

On October 23, Kumar traveled to Singarayapalem center, where he inspected some pieces of gold and, believing them to be authentic, paid Rs. 5 lakh. Eswar then instructed Kumar to visit Vijayawada, Guntur, and Venkatachalam, where the accused assaulted him and forcibly took an additional Rs. 15 lakh.

Kumar lodged a complaint with the Mudinepalli police and a special team led by Eluru DSP Sravan Kumar tracked down the accused in Pakshirajugudem, near Madanapalli and Mysore (Karnataka). The police have praised the efforts of Kaikaluru circle inspector V. Ravikumar, Mudinepalli SI V.S.V. Bhadra Rao and other officers involved in the case.