The city police on Monday cracked three different cases related to tampering of chassis numbers of vehicles, use of fake C books to get loans and mobilisation of deposits for a money circulation scheme. In all, seven persons were arrested.
Commissioner of Police (in-charge) Mahesh M. Bhagwat told a press conference that five persons were arrested on charge of tampering chassis numbers while another person was arrested on charge of taking loans by producing fake C books.
In the third case, promoter of a firm called ‘Safe Hand Agencies’ was arrested under the provisions of the IPC as well as other Acts intended to protect the interests of depositors.
Pointing out that some of the accused in these cases were earlier involved in other cases too, the Commissioner said they were contemplating opening a history sheet against any person accused in more than two cases.
According to Mr. Bhagwat, Y. Katam Raju, a resident of Krishnalanka, Pedapudi Maheswara Rao, a resident of Pappula Mill centre, U. Radhakrishna alias Chanti, a resident of Ashok Nagar, D. Seshagiri Rao alias Peddabai, a resident of Besant road, and Sundara Suri Babu, a resident of Tanuku in West Godavari district, were arrested on the charge of tampering the chassis numbers and fake C books. The police seized a trolley, a scorpio, a 10-wheel lorry, an unnumbered tanker and three fake C books from their possession. Buchi Reddy, the alleged kingpin, was absconding.
In another case, N. Sambasiva Rao and J. Sridhar, both residents of the city, availed themselves of loans from Sriram Finance of Patamata branch by producing fake C books of tippers. The duo sold the tippers to Sivasankar and Nageswara Rao for Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh, respectively. The police arrested Sambasiva Rao, while Sridhar was at large. The RTA agents involved in these cases were also absconding. In the third case, B. Vivek, a native of Chennai, opened ‘Safe Hand Agencies’ at e-Seva centre in Patamata and collected about Rs. 11 lakh as deposits through his marketing executives on the promise of providing personal loans to the depositors. Acting on a complaint lodged by N. Koteswara Rao of Ramavarappadu, the police arrested him under Sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC; Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978; and Section 5 of AP Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act, 1999. The company neither had permission nor licence from the RBI, and was also not maintaining records properly, Mr. Bhagwat said, adding an inquiry was going on.
DCP G. Vijay Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police A. Subba Rao and others were present.
