Cops Bust Online Trading Scam, 9 Arrested From Andhra Pradesh

According to DCP S.V. Naga Lakshmi, the accused were operating the call centre and targeting victims through WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms. Posing as professional traders and investment advisers, the scammers were convincing people to invest in trading applications, which were later found to be fake.

The fraud was detected after a complaint was filed regarding an online investment scam. Police said the accused lured victims by showing profits, sometimes as high as several crores to gain their trust. Once a victim invested large sums, the fraudsters stopped responding or demanded more money.

In this case, the victim was cheated of over `36 lakh, and received only a small amount as returns. A case was registered and probe started under the relevant sections of the BNS and IT Act. Members of the investigating team traced the accused to West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. Raids were conducted, which led to the arrest of nine individuals from Andhra Pradesh. Police seized 45 mobile phones, one laptop, three routers, along with several SIM cards, ATM cards, cheque books, Aadhaar cards and other identity documents used in the crime.

Drunk biker booked for creating ruckus during checks

A drunk biker along with his pillion rider allegedly created a ruckus and attempted to assault police personnel during the vehicle checking drive at Peeramcheruvu U-turn under Narsingi police station limits.

When a team of police personnel was conducting routine checks, noticed a scooty coming from Bandlaguda and moving towards a U-turn. On seeing the cops, the rider tried to evade the team members and took the wrong route. However, the police team intercepted the vehicle at a point. Upon being stopped, the duo reportedly began arguing with the cops and used abusive language, as well as created a nuisance.

In a sudden escalation, they also attempted to assault the police personnel on duty. Narsingi police have booked a case against the accused driver on charges of assault, using abusive language, as well as obstructing public servants from discharging their duty. Further investigation is ongoing.

EAGLE Force nabs 18 in drug crackdown

Acting on complaints received through the toll-free helpline 1908, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), in association with local police, carried out targeted operations across Hyderabad and Malkajgiri Commissionerates and arrested 18 persons. Seventeen tested positive for TetraHydroCannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.

The cases were referred to the Rachakonda Narcotics Police Station and state task force for enquiry and report, director Sandeep Shandilya said on Wednesday. Following due process, one accused and all consumers were counselled in the presence of their parents, while other accused were remanded in judicial custody. Remaining consumers who tested positive were handed over to concerned police stations for further action under G.O.Ms.No.4, facilitating admission into deaddiction centres.

In Medipally police station limits, one peddler was arrested and 15 packets of ganja weighing 60 grams seized. Six consumers were apprehended and tested THC positive, including delivery riders and residents of Chikkadpally, Musheerabad and Baghlingampally.

At Kushaiguda, three consumers were arrested, two of whom tested positive. They were identified as a Zepto delivery boy from Hasthinapuram and an auto driver from Saroornagar.

In Vanasthalipuram, Tatikonda Sitaram Kumar Hemanth Kumar alias TSK, a business analyst from Balapur, tested positive.

Online gambling addict confesses to double murder

Kona Sai Vasu, 29, addicted to online gambling, confessed to police that he murdered two elderly women for just Rs 26,500 and mortgaged their gold. Four police stations — Filmnagar, Jubilee Hills, Narsingi and Mokila — are investigating the case. He was produced before court on Tuesday, with police seeking seven days’ custody for further investigation.

Investigators revealed Vasu had earlier been involved in chain snatching cases in Andhra Pradesh while driving Ola and Uber cabs. Officers suspect he might have committed similar murders for gain. Vasu, who once worked as a fish farm supervisor, moved to Hyderabad in 2022. His wife left him after he stole and mortgaged her mangalsutra to fund gambling.

His modus operandi was to target lonely elderly women, lure them with offers of a lift, take them to city outskirts, murder them, and strip their ornaments. Filmnagar police entered the case on March 18 after victim Yadamma’s son filed a missing complaint. CCTV footage showed her boarding Vasu’s cab, leading to his arrest.

On March 11, Vasu convinced Yadamma, 70, to travel with him under the pretext of collecting rent. He strangled her near Narsingi, dumped her body, and mortgaged her gold in Tadepalligudem for Rs 20,500, which he staked on gambling.

On March 14, he targeted washerwoman Ch. Mangamma, strangled her in his cab, and dumped her body near Mokila. Police later recovered both decomposed bodies — Yadamma’s from Narsingi and Mangamma’s from Mokila — and sent them for postmortem.

Man gets jail term for abusing minor

Special Sessions Judge of the Pocso Court G. Uday Bhaskar Rao on Wednesday sentenced Chuvva Veeresh, 52, to rigirious imprisonment (RI) of one year three months and 23 days, and imposed a fine of `1,500 on him after he was found guilty of abusing a minor.

The convict Veeresh had been arrested by Chikkadpally police (crime number 194 of 2019) under Sections 354, 354-A, 509 of the IPC and Section 11 read with 12 of POCSO Act.

The 11-year-old victim had gone to a shop to purchase ‘maida’ flour at the grocery store run by Veeresh, police said.

After purchasing ‘maida’ the victim was heading home and that time Veeresh forcibly took her into his house and abused her.

The victim narrated her ordeals to her mother. Based on her mother’s complaint, police forwarded the case to Bharosa team who in turn provided counselling and emotional assitance to the victim.

V.C. Sajjanar, city police commissioner, lauded the efforts of all stakeholders in the conviction of the accused, a press statement issued by DCP, women safety wing, stated.

Businessman beaten up over parking dispute

A 44‑year‑old businessman was assaulted by two persons during a parking‑related argument near Radhika crossroads in Kushaiguda.

According to police, the victim was parking his electric two‑wheeler near a Reliance Digital store when two individuals, attempting to move another bike, got into an argument with him. The dispute escalated after the victim objected to their behaviour.

The accused, identified as Rahul Jaiswal and Parth Kumar Choudhary, abused the victim and attacked him. They punched him in the face and struck his nose with a stone, causing injuries. The injured man was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where his condition is reported stable.

Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s son, police registered a case and launched an investigation. Officials said efforts are underway to apprehend the accused and probe the circumstances leading to the incident.

Software employee duped of ₹27.87 lakh in cyber fraud

A 32‑year‑old software employee from Ameenpur was duped of ₹27.87 lakh by cyber fraudsters who lured him through a Telegram investment group and a fake trading application.

According to police, the victim was contacted in December 2024 by a person posing as a financial adviser. He was convinced to invest for higher returns and later added to a Telegram group where several individuals, claiming to be professional advisors, interacted with him and shared links to install a trading app.

Believing the scheme genuine, the victim initially invested small amounts before gradually transferring large sums to multiple bank accounts and UPI IDs provided by the fraudsters. His total investment eventually reached ₹54.87 lakh. The application displayed inflated profits of nearly ₹50 lakh, creating a false sense of credibility.

When he tried to withdraw funds, the accused delayed the process and later cut off communication. Investigators revealed that the fraudsters returned only ₹26.99 lakh while showing virtual profits of ₹40 lakh to encourage further deposits.

Realising the fraud after repeated failed withdrawal attempts, the victim approached Cyberabad Cyber Crime police. A case has been registered, and efforts are underway to trace the suspects and recover the remaining amount.

Techie loses ₹75.2 lakh in WhatsApp trading scam

A 45‑year‑old software employee from KPHB was cheated of ₹75.2 lakh by cyber fraudsters who lured him through a WhatsApp‑based stock trading scam. Cyberabad cybercrime police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and IT Act and launched a probe.

According to the complaint, the victim joined a WhatsApp group named Equity Guide12 in February after receiving an invitation. The group was allegedly run by a person posing as a stock market expert, who gained trust by sharing trading tips and conducting online sessions. Later, the victim was directed to create an account on a platform called Marks Security, falsely claimed to be Sebi‑registered.

Initially, he invested ₹2.5 lakh, which grew to ₹25 lakh after the app displayed fake profits. The accused then introduced IPO investments, including one named Innovision, showing fictitious listing gains. Subsequently, the victim was pressured to invest ₹50 lakh in another IPO, with promises of 300 per cent returns. He was shown a large allocation worth over ₹1.3 crore and coerced into transferring funds via RTGS.

Even after payments, the fraudsters demanded more money, citing withdrawal conditions. Realising the fraud after repeated demands, the victim approached police, stating that fake apps and multiple bank accounts were used to siphon funds while displaying virtual profits of ₹60 lakh.

5 get 20 yrs RI under NDPS Act

B. Aparna Devi Garu, the First Additional District and Sessions Judge of Hanamkonda Court, sentenced five persons to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and also imposed a fine of ₹1,00,000 on them as they were found guilty under Section 8(c) read with 20 of the NDPS Act.

Accused Pavurala Venkatesh, 38, Abboju Venkatesh, 36, Paripally Karthik, 43, Ananthula Sambaiah, 54, and Kokkrakonda Chendraiah,78, were arrested by the Atmakur police on December 20 2017, when they were found transporting 100 kg of marijuana on the outskirts of Chowlapally under Athmakur police station limits taking the transit route from Visakhapatnam to Maharashtra, Sandeep Shandilya, director, EAGLE Force, said.

TGCSB busts SIM card racket, arrests 5 scammers linked to Chinese fraud

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) on Wednesday arrested five persons linked to an international cyber fraud network operating from Cambodia, which allegedly used illegally procured Indian SIM cards to defraud citizens.

The arrests were made by the Headquarters Cyber Crime Police Station in Hyderabad, with the accused identified as Rizvan, 29, from Uttar Pradesh, Syed Ashraf Ali, 30, from Chandrayangutta, Syed Sohail, 31, from Talab Katta, Ateeq Ahmed, 29, and Nune Ashok, 29, from Karimnagar district.

According to TGCSB director Shikha Goel, Ashraf Ali was intercepted at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport while trying to transport 198 SIM cards to Cambodia on the instructions of Rizvan, and was handed over to the cyber crime team.

During interrogation, the accused revealed a network allegedly coordinated from Cambodia, where SIM cards were procured through local agents using fake or impersonated documents. Police said more than 600 SIM cards have been illegally transported since 2023 in at least six instances.

Investigators said the SIM cards were used for cyber offences including phishing, identity theft, impersonation and extortion, causing financial losses to victims.

Police said Syed Sohail, Ateeq Ahmed and Nune Ashok operated point-of-sale centres, facilitating procurement of SIM cards, while Sohail also worked as a promoter for telecom services.

An associate, Arvind Kumar alias Shahid, who allegedly acted as a courier, is absconding, and efforts are under way to trace other members of the network, including those operating abroad.

A case has been registered under provisions of the Information Technology Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Telecommunication Act. Further investigation is in progress.

GHMC suspended 10 officials

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Wednesday suspended 10 officials, including P. Saraswathi, former Municipal Commissioner of the erstwhile Badangpet Municipal Corporation, on charges of financial irregularities and alleged misappropriation of public funds.

Saraswathi is currently serving as Deputy Commissioner, Circle–16, Badangpet.

According to GHMC, the action followed allegations of large-scale financial irregularities, procedural violations and suspected misappropriation of public funds in the execution of engineering, sanitation and event-related works in Badangpet Circle–16 of the Shamshabad Zone.

A vigilance enquiry was conducted into the allegations.

The probe revealed certain irregularities involving the 10 officials of the erstwhile Badangpet Municipal Corporation, following which they were placed under suspension with immediate effect.

GHMC stated that the decision was taken after careful consideration of the available material and circumstances of the case and that the action was necessary in the interest of administration.

Other suspended officials include Jyothi, currently posted in Jalpally Circle, GHMC; Venkanna, working in Malakpet Circle, SWM wing, GHMC; A. Yadaiah, working in ENC, PH&ME; and P. Vinil Kumar Goud, working in ENC, PH&ME.

Pocso Court awards 30-year RI in child assault case

A Fast Track Sessions Court for Pocso cases convicted two accused in a child sexual assault case and sentenced them to long-term imprisonment.

The court awarded 30 years of rigorous imprisonment to both accused under relevant provisions of the Pocso Act, along with an additional 25 years under separate sections. One of the accused was also sentenced to two years imprisonment under Section 506 of IPC for criminal intimidation. In addition, fines were imposed and the court directed that ₹5 lakh be paid as compensation to the victim, along with further fines collected from the accused.

According to police, the incident dates back to May 31, 2022, when the victim’s mother lodged a complaint at Chandrayangutta police station stating that her minor daughter had been subjected to repeated sexual assault. The accused allegedly threatened and intimidated the child to prevent disclosure.

Following the complaint, police registered a case and conducted a detailed investigation. Evidence was collected and a charge-sheet was filed before the court. The accused were arrested and produced for trial.

The conviction and sentencing mark one of the strongest punishments delivered under the Pocso framework in recent months, reflecting the judiciary’s emphasis on deterrence and victim protection. Officials said the order also underscores the importance of swift investigation and prosecution in cases involving children, ensuring that survivors receive justice and support.

Food delivery app executive found dead in Kapra

A 24‑year‑old food delivery app executive died by suicide at his residence in Kapra in the early hours of Wednesday, reportedly over issues related to his relationship.

According to Jawaharnagar police, the deceased had been in a relationship for the past five years with a 25‑year‑old woman, who is also a relative. The relationship, however, led to frequent arguments within the family after it came to their notice.

Police said the victim left home stating he was heading for work. Later in the afternoon, when his mother contacted him over the phone, he replied that he would speak later and disconnected the call. At around 2.30 am, his father noticed the room door slightly open. On entering, he found his son lying unresponsive. The family rushed him downstairs but he was declared dead.

Based on a complaint filed by the mother, Jawaharnagar police registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.