Cops book man for impersonating Reddy aide, swindling ₹10.4 lakh
A man impersonating a close aide of ex-Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy duped a businessman of ₹10.4 lakh for fake cricket sponsorship, police said.
An unidentified person has been booked for allegedly impersonating a close aide of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and duping a businessman of ₹10.4 lakh, the Banashankari police said on Tuesday.
According to the complaint filed by KB Rajesh, the manager of Sangeetha Mobile Private Limited in Banashankari Phase 2, the fraudster claimed to be K Nageshwara Reddy and sought sponsorship for a cricketer, Ricky Bhuvi, purportedly affiliated with the Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association.
The fraud occurred in May 2022 when Rajesh received a call from an unknown number. The caller explained that sponsorship was needed for two sets of cricket equipment, amounting to ₹10.4 lakh. Believing the caller’s story, Rajesh transferred the amount in two instalments of ₹5.20 lakh each. Bank details were provided by the fraudster for the transactions.
“The fraudster contacted Sangeetha Mobiles for sponsorship under the guise of supporting a cricket player from the Andhra Pradesh team,” said Banashankari police inspector B Kotresh. “The fraud was discovered when the complainant requested receipts. When the fraudster’s phone was switched off, Rajesh contacted the chief minister’s office and tried to confirm the individual’s identity. Following the complaint on December 26, we registered a case under the IT Act and IPC Sections 420 (cheating) and 416 (cheating by personation). An investigation is underway to trace the accused.”
Initially, the fraudster provided several excuses to delay issuing an invoice. Suspicions grew when Rajesh could no longer reach the caller. Upon verification, it was revealed that the individual had misused the name of K Nageshwara Reddy to swindle the money.