Cinema director, four others held on cheating charge

A low-budget cinema director and four others, including a junior artist, producer and an assistant director, were arrested on the charge of duping unemployed youngsters, promising them jobs in police department, on Tuesday.

The arrested were identified as director Indraganti Saidulu (33) , native of Nalagonda district in Telangana and currently residing at Peda Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam, assistant director Madagala Joginaidu (24) of Yelamanchili, Indraganti Nagaraju (30), a cinema producer and brother of Saidulu, junior artist Sandanagiri Anil (24) of Karimnagar district in Telangana and Saripilli Appalaraju (21) of S Rayavaram in Visakhapatnam district.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) M. Srinivasulu said that Saidulu had earlier directed a Telugu movie titled ‘Cool Boys and Hot Girls’ and was currently engaged in directing another low-budget Telugu movie titled ‘Bheemili Beach’. His brother Nagaraju was said to be the producer of the movie.

As the brothers fell short of money they allegedly decided to make some quick bucks by duping gullible youth.

According to the DCP, they hatched a plan a la movie style and made junior artist Anil pose as sub-inspector of police and created a ‘make belief’ environment. They collected Rs.17 lakh from nine susceptible unemployed youths by promising them police constable jobs.

One of the duped youths, Saripalli Naresh of Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam, suspected foul play and approached police. Acting on a tip-off, the City Task Force police and PM Palem police arrested the five at Peda Rushikonda area late on Monday night.