Hyderabad: Police busted an automobile theft racket and arrested a four-member interstate gang on Monday. Police seized eight vehicles from them. The suspects are Sugreev Manikrao Sowmanshi, Srinivas Goud, P. Pradeep Reddy and Md Areef.
Police said Sugreev, hailing from Maharashtra, was arrested twice for vehicle theft in Maharashtra. After coming out from prison in 2014, he linked up with Srinivas, and stole 10 vehicles from Maharashtra. He gave them to Srinivas. Srinivas sold the vehicles by forging documents. Some vehicles were dismantled and sold.
“Srinivas sold one vehicle to Areef, but Areef did not pay the agreed amount. Pradeep purchased a mini lorry from Srinivas knowing that it was stolen, and sold it as scrap,” Shamshabad DCP P.V. Padmaja said.
As per the instructions of Srinivas, Sugreev stole a pick-up van in Latur and was driving to Rajendranagar when he was caught. He admitted to police that he had stolen the vehicle and was coming to give it to Srinivas Goud. Police also arrested Srinivas, Pradeep and Fareed and seized eight vehicles and spare parts from them. They were remanded to judicial custody.
