HYDERABAD: A former assistant engineer of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) landed in police dragnet for trying to cheat TTDP working president and Kodangal MLA A Revanth Reddy.
The accused identified himself as an employee working in Telangana state finance secretary’s office and asked the MLA to part with Rs 1.25 lakh for release of Rs 2 crore funds under a Central sponsored scheme.
According to Jubilee Hills police, the accused T Balaji Naidu alias Devarakumar called Revanth Reddy on his phone on June 3. The MLA’s PA Nagesh Reddy received the call and Balaji identified himself as Manohar, an employee in the Principal Secretary (finance) office and told that he wanted to talk to the MLA regarding some Union government’s schemes.
Balaji spoke to the MLA and explained that about Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned for his constituency under various schemes introduced by the Union government and he would release the funds, if he pays `1.25 lakh, police said.
Revanth Reddy smelled something fishy and asked his PA to find about the caller and an inquiry revealed that he was a fraudster trying to extort money. Following a complaint, a case was registered under Sections 420 and 511 of IPC. The mobile number of the accused was tracked and his assistant Ankush was picked up following which Balaji was also apprehended on Monday.
Balaji, while working as AE at Ramagundam NTPC was trapped by the ACB officials for demanding bribe from a person. Later, he was arrested for cheating MLA Kanaka Reddy to a tune of Rs 90,000. With over 35 cases registered against him in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Balaji was arrested thrice by the police in 2016. He was released on January 29 this year.