VISAKHAPATNAM: The gang that held YSRC MP MVV Satyanarayana’s son Sarat Chandra, wife Jyothi and auditor Gannamaneni Venkateswara Rao alias GV hostage had unleashed terror with bats and knives for almost 48 hours, investigation officers said on Friday and added that the accused even hit the MP’s son.
Describing it as a well-thought-out plan, police said the gang’s desire to extort more money landed them in jail. Three people, including history-sheeter and key conspirator in the case, K Hemant Kumar, have been arrested. The other two accused were identified as Ulavala Rajesh and an advocate, whose name is also Rajesh. Sai, another accused in the case, is absconding. Hemant came in contact with Rajesh and Sai in the Central Jail where they chalked out the initial plan to extort money from the Vizag MP.
Police said the accused gained entry into Sarat’s villa at Rushikonda where he lived alone. “Once inside, they created a reign of terror without raising any suspicion for the outside world. They forced Sarat to ask his mother to come to the house and instruct the watchman to leave,” police added.
First, they reportedly stole gold jewellery in the house and later instructed the mother-son to call GV to the villa. The auditor arranged for Rs 1.5 crore, but the abductors instructed him to get more money under the pretext of paying GST. The accused also forced Sarat to hand over Rs 25 lakh cash that was kept in the house.
On suspicion that the police had launched a search operation for the MP’s family, the trio left the house along with the captives in MVV’s car. When the tyre got punctured at Padmanabham road, they changed it and left Sarat, Jyothi and GV as the police vans were approaching the spot. As they sped through, the car broke down. While Hemant and Rajesh were nabbed, Sai managed to escape.
The MP explained, “When I called my wife and son in the 48 hours that they were held captive, nothing seemed suspicious. They were speaking normally. There was no anxiety in their voice. The accused forced them to speak to me like nothing wrong was going on.”
He further alleged that the gangsters were under the influence of ganja. “They harassed and tortured my wife, son and GV,” the MP claimed and said the incident has caused him pain. He urged the police to take severe action against the accused and ensure such incidents don’t recur. During interrogation, police identified two other accused, who are also from Gajuwaka, involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, DGP KVRN Reddy told reporters that the police cracked the case within hours of receiving the information. “Three accused have been arrested till now and Rs 86.50 lakh cash was recovered from them. Police have recovered Rs 21.50 lakh from advocate Rajesh, Rs 25 lakh from the accused Rajesh’s mother and Rs 40 lakh from Hemant’s girlfriend. Further investigation to recover the rest of the money is underway,” he elaborated.
Stating that the accused are hardcore gangsters, the DGP said the PD Act will be invoked against them. A fast-track court will be set up to complete the trial within a month, he added.