Visakhapatnam: A dismissed CRPF constable, Hanumanthu Ramesh (51), was arrested by Pendurthi police on Saturday for duping unemployed youth in the Visakhapatnam region to the tune of Rs 3 crore with a promise of providing jobs in the Indian Railways.
Ramesh allegedly impersonated as a sub-inspector of police in Vizag using a fake uniform to deceive youngsters into believing he could secure them jobs in the railways. He swindled around Rs 75 lakh from 15 people in Vizag by providing them with a counterfeit appointment letters.
His fraudulent activities extended to other areas, where he duped over 60 persons. The scheme came to light when the duped youth discovered that their appointment letters were fake and filed a complaint with the Pendurthi police after visiting the railway board in Secunderabad.
During a press conference on Saturday, DCP-2 (L&O) M Sattibabu revealed the details of Ramesh's elaborate scheme. Ramesh reportedly impressed upon the locals by posing as a police officer and even installed a statue of Goddess Durga with his own money in his colony during Dussehra in 2022.
He befriended a man named Dumpala Krishna Rao and convinced him that his wife's uncle, a DRM in Secunderabad Railway who was about to retire, could help him secure railway jobs. Rao, believing Ramesh, paid Rs 85 lakh on behalf of himself and 12 others.
Ramesh then allegedly introduced Rao to Praveena, claiming she was the DRM's PA. In March 2023, a fake exam was conducted at Aishwarya Lodge in Vijayawada, and the victims were given a forged appointment letters. Later, they were taken to Secunderabad and kept at Santosh Lodge there.
Ramesh then collected their appointment letters on the pretext of verifying them at the DRM office but never returned. When the victims confronted him, he disappeared from the place. The victims further alleged that both Ramesh and Praveena had threatened them with a gun at their homes and extorted more money. Many others from Pendurthi, Bhogapuram, and Vizianagaram had fallen prey to the couple's job scam.
The DCP stated that they have seized a dummy revolver, fake ID cards, a police uniform, fake appointment letters, and vehicles from Ramesh.
The DCP warned youngsters against falling for such scams and clarified that government jobs are notified through official channels and not secured through personal contacts or payments. The DCP asked all other victims of Hanumanthu Ramesh or Praveena's job scam to contact the SHO, Pendurthi or call 9440796039.
