Earlier, Saidabad police did not disclose Pawan’s involvement in trapping Balaswamy until Khairatabad SHO B. Venkat Reddy officially confirmed the incident.
HYDERABAD: Kondabhattula Pawan Kumar, arrested for luring nearly 1,000 victims in a honey‑trap racket, has allegedly targeted dozens of people in India and abroad using multiple fake social media accounts with photographs of models. He has been remanded to four‑day police custody for further investigation.
Escorted from Chanchalguda Central Prison after doctors at Osmania General Hospital declared him fit, Pawan was taken for questioning at the police station.
Police sources said information leaked by Pawan’s wife revealed that he posed as “Chandana” and trapped former Khairatabad DI Mookam Balaswamy, extorting ₹10 lakh. She also told investigators at the time of his arrest on October 18 that Pawan had confessed to trapping and extorting over 12 police personnel, including two additional DCP‑rank officials, using the same modus operandi.
Earlier, Saidabad police did not disclose Pawan’s involvement in trapping Balaswamy until Khairatabad SHO B. Venkat Reddy officially confirmed the incident.
“We have encountered several women who, under the pretext of lodging fake complaints, try to lure us into a honey trap. But being police officers, we can judge after reading their body language,” a SHO‑rank officer said.
Investigators are verifying bank transactions of Pawan, his wife and a relative to cross‑check her statement that he trapped several police officers posing as a woman and extorted money.
A senior officer said, “Earlier we used to assess police personnel on their performance, relations with citizens and familiarity with jurisdiction. Now we have to inquire whether the officer has an additional house, extramarital affairs, etc.”
So far, 10 SHO‑rank officials have been suspended, six of them over extramarital affairs. The situation was reflected at Jubilee Hills police station, where former SHO Srinivasulu Reddy was suspended on August 8 for rape, extortion and blackmailing a woman. The post remained vacant until D. Ashok took charge on September 21.
