ONGOLE: Prakasam police arrested Malapati Ashok Kumar Reddy, a 30-year-old real estate businessman, for murdering his sister, Malapati Sandhya, to claim Rs 1 crore insurance money. Podili CI T Venkateswarlu revealed that the accused staged the murder as a road accident to cover up the crime.
Ashok Reddy, burdened by debts, took out Rs 73 lakh worth of insurance policies in addition to existing policies totalling Rs 1.13 crore in Sandhya’s name in November 2023.
On February 4, 2024, he took Sandhya (24) to Ongole under the pretext of a medical examination. He gave her sleeping pills, rendering her unconscious, and later strangled her near Podili town.
To disguise the murder, he rammed his car into a tree and claimed Sandhya had died in an accident.
The following day, their father, Malapati Thirupathaiah, lodged a complaint at the Podili police station, and a case was registered.
Police investigations uncovered discrepancies in the forensic report. Ashok Reddy had conspired with a government hospital staff member, Yousuf, to tamper with viscera samples to hide evidence of the sleeping pills. The police arrested Ashok Reddy based on insurance records and forensic evidence. Two accomplices, including Yousuf, remain at large.
The CI said, “We have uncovered the conspiracy and are working to apprehend the remaining suspects.” The accused has been remanded, and further probe is underway.