Astrologer kidnap: accused still at large

Doctors involved in attack will be nabbed soon: Sawang

DGP N. Sambasiva Rao ruled out the hawala angle.

The attack on astrologer Tammareddy Brahmaji Rao in the city last month remains a mystery with the accused eluding police even after 40 days after the incident. The delay in probing the case is raising many eyebrows.

Three doctors, Puvvada Ramakrishna, Myneni Hemanth and Chalapati Ravi, along with a few others reportedly kidnapped Brahmaji Rao, who is also a financier, from a hotel on May 14, alleging that the latter took from them ₹40 lakh on the pretext of arranging ₹100 crore from a Singapore bank, but failed to do so.

Rumours spread that a hawala transaction led to the kidnap and attack. However, DGP N. Sambasiva Rao and City Police Commissioner D. Gautam Sawang ruled out the hawala angle.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) G. Pala Raju, who is monitoring the investigation, said four accused — Tataji, Sravan, Ch. Venkat Rao and a security guard — had been arrested so far, and Venkat Rao secured bail.

Bapuji, Narayana, Ramakrishna, Ravi and Hemanth were at large.

Bail rejected

“The accused approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected twice. Our teams are making efforts to nab the accused,” said Mr. Pala Raju.

“Doctors of Help and Time Hospitals reportedly entered into a deal with Brahmaji in 2014, who promised to arrange ₹50 crore loan each, from foreign banks, but failed to do so. The victim introduced Tataji [one of the accused] as individual financier,” said Mr. Sawang.

CP acts tough

The Police Commissioner relieved Patamata CI G. Kennedy and ACP-Traffic K. Suryachandra Rao, who allegedly colluded with the kidnappers, of duty.

“We questioned more than 20 persons and seized five vehicles, including two ambulances, involved in the offence. We will arrest the accused soon,” said the Police Commissioner adding that there were no political pressures in the case.