50 lakh people in AP are scam victims

Vijayawada: The AP Crime Investigation Department has the Herculean task of bringing  justice to more than half a crore depositors/buyers who were duped by various financial and  real estate firms since 2005 in Telugu states prior to bifurcation. The oldest case pertains to VR Chits of Visakhapatnam and the latest one is the scam of Vijayawada-based Agrigold Company. In all, there are  50,64,742 victims.

A total of 107 cases were booked against 57 persons belonging to 11 companies involved in cheating people with false promises of returning more money for their investment than traditional sources. With just six IPS cadre officers and four SP level officers dealing with 17 other senior officers and seven office superintendents and office staff, the CID already has it hands full tackling 267 cases in narcotics and fake currency. The cases related to economic issues total to 338 and other cases like women and child issues as well as cyber crimes and civil rights issues total to 239.

When asked about the hard task of encashing the movable and immovable properties seized from the accused and distributing the same to the victims, CID ADG, Dwarka Tirumala Rao, said that the issue is with the Court and they are awaiting the Court’s order. When asked about the less staff compared to the volume of cases and work at hand, he agreed that it is difficult but they will do it once they get the Court’s orders.