VIZIANAGARAM: The Vizianagaram police on Saturday arrested four members of a nine-member gang who allegedly cheated several unemployed youth by offering them government jobs in different departments. The accused allegedly took more than Rs 53 lakh from at least seven victims in Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram-Manyam, Visakhapatnam, and Anakapalli.
Vizianagaram DSP M Srinivasarao spoke to the press at the One Town police station, describing the operation that resulted in the arrests and the seizure of Rs 6 lakh.
The mastermind accused, Vizianagaram’s K Sai Venkata Sujith, set up the gang with co-conspirators from throughout the Telugu states. The gang targeted job applicants, posting false government job advertisements, including vacancies in the Railways, Revenue, Social Welfare, Forest, and Vigilance and Enforcement departments, mostly through Sujith’s WhatsApp status.
They allegedly paid each victim between Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh in instalments. To trust them, the gang brought the victims to the State Secretariat in Amaravati under the pretext of training. They were taken on a tour of the canteen and office areas before being given fake orders of appointment.
Realising they had been tricked, the victims first went to Bhimavaram, Jangareddygudem, and Eluru police. But some of the accused were reportedly released after counselling by the Eluru police. Enraged at the inaction, one victim, Siriki Vinod from Srungavarapukota mandal, went to the Vizianagaram One Town police and lodged a written complaint.
After this, a case was registered and an investigation was initiated by the Vizianagaram police. Four suspects have so far been arrested: A2 Chekka Mahesh of Vizianagaram, and Bubin Kumar, Gunturu John, and Kalapala Yacob from Eluru district. Police also took `6 lakh from the amount that was cheated. The key accused, Sujith, is bedridden now and is being treated in a hospital.
DSP Srinivasarao said while the case technically was just one local transaction, the probe was pursued in the larger interest of protecting unemployed youth. “The gangsters divided the money as per their agreements. Some of them used it to sustain luxurious lifestyles,” he said.
The raid was conducted by One Town CI Srinivas and SI Laxmi Prasanna Kumar. Police believe some of the accused are habitual offenders, even though no previous cases had been formally registered against them.