Man Posing as TTD Employee Arrested for Cheating Devotees at Tirumala
Police said the accused, a B. Tech mechanical engineering graduate, allegedly turned to cheating after he got addicted to online betting and gaming.
Tirupati:Tirumala police have arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly posing as a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) employee and cheating devotees by promising to arrange darshan tickets and other services.
Tirumala II Town police have taken the accused, Gorantla Rupesh Babu from Bapatla district, into custody on the directions of Tirupati district superintendent of police L. Subba Rayudu. Police seized a fake TTD employee identity card and a mobile phone from him.
According to police, Rupesh Babu created a fake TTD identity card bearing his photograph and name. Dressed in white, he introduced himself as a priest or TTD employee and approached devotees at different places in Tirumala.
Police said he collected cash, mobile phones, ATM cards and other details from devotees by promising to arrange darshan tickets and other services. In one incident on July 30, he allegedly collected Aadhaar details and cash from devotees near the Vaikuntam-1 exit gate on the promise of arranging Kalyanotsavam tickets. He allegedly used the mobile phones to transfer money through Paytm to his accounts.
Preliminary investigations have indicated that Rupesh Babu has cheated more than 20 devotees. Police found that three cases of cheating and a non-bailable warrant are pending against him in Telangana.
Police said the accused, a B. Tech mechanical engineering graduate, allegedly turned to cheating after he got addicted to online betting and gaming.
