Chittoor District police on Tuesday arrested a 11-member gang of fake policemen, and a Karnataka police constable after waylaying them on National Highway near Bangarupalem, about 25 km from here. The Gangavaram Circle police of the district seized two SUVs and currency valued at Rs.24 lakh from them.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Palamaner) Harinatha Reddy told the mediapersons that a youth Chandra of Gurramkonda formed a gang with 10 others from various places in Bangalore, Mulabhagal and other places of Karnataka bordering with Chittoor district.
Their modus operandi was to cheat gullible public that they would give two notes of Rs. 500 denomination printed in 2005 or before in exchange for each note printed after 2005, taking advantage of the RBI norms.
A Karnataka-based police constable, Papanna, working in Bangalore, also joined the gang. On December 17 last year, a businessman Ashok Reddy of Bangalore fell into their trap and he brought Rs. 24 lakh with him.
As planned earlier, the gang members, wearing police uniform, intercepted Ashok Reddy and his men at Gangavaram limits near Palamaner and took away the cash, after intimidating them.
On December 25, the same gang struck a deal with one Kishore Reddy of Tenali. Wearing police uniform and wielding lathis, the gang robbed him of Rs. 6 lakh, after intimidating him with a threat to "arrest".
In the first week of January, the Gangavaram police collected information regarding the movement of fake police gang in their circle and formed a special party to nab them.
On Tuesday the same gang was waiting at Bangarupalem marketyard to deal with a "customer" from Bangalore. Acting on a tip-off, the Gangavaram police rushed to the spot and nabbed all the gang members and the cop from Karnataka.
Currency notes valued at Rs.24 lakh, fake police uniforms, iron rods, knives, blades. mobile phones and chilli powder was seized from them along with two SUVs used by them to carryout their criminal activity.
The DSP said that the Karnataka police was informed about the involvement of Papanna in the crime. All the 12 were produced at a local court, which remanded them to judicial custody. Further investigation is on.
