Influencers Booked for Using TTD Backdrop for Lucky Draw Promotion
The accused allegedly used the TTD temple premises and its surroundings as a backdrop for their promotional videos to lend religious credibility and lure more participants
Hyderabad: Panjagutta police on Sunday booked two social media influencers for allegedly collecting money from the public by promoting illegal lucky draw schemes, which lacked authorisation from the state government to conduct lotteries.
The accused had been running promotional campaigns on social media, claiming that participants who paid `399 would get a chance to win high-value prizes such as a high-end SUV, expensive phones, televisions and motorcycles.
Speaking to a local television channel, K Shilpavalli, deputy commissioner of police, Khairatabad zone, said the influencers had shot promotional videos near the Lord Venkateshwara temple, though not within the temple premises. “There is prima facie evidence of deception and dishonesty. We are probing the extent of the offence,” she said.
The complaint was lodged by film actor Padala Kalyani, who told Deccan Chronicle that the influencers, Praveen Kyasa and Siddhamoni Mahender, allegedly misused a religious backdrop to gain public trust while promoting illegal online lucky draw schemes.
According to the complaint, the accused used videos featuring the temple surroundings to lend credibility to their promotions and lure members of the public into paying money for the so-called lucky draw.
“We have booked cases for committing online fraud, organising illegal lotteries, betting scams, cheating with dishonesty. An FIR (27 of 2026) has been lodged against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Telangana State Lotteries Act. A probe is on to identify the extent of the fraud and the number of victims involved," B. Venkat, detective inspector of Panjagutta police.