Digital arrest claims another victim: Telangana MLA Putta Sudhakar Yadav duped of ₹1.07 crore
The 61-year-old MLA from Mydukur in YSR Kadapa district, currently residing in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, approached the Hyderabad cybercrime police on Thursday evening after realizing that he had been cheated. The police registered a case the same night and launched an investigation. Sudhakar was the former president of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
How the scam was discovered
According to Sudhakar’s complaint, the ordeal began at 7.30 am on October 10 when he received a call from a man who identified himself as ‘Gaurav Shukla’, allegedly from the Mumbai cybercrime police. The caller claimed that an FIR has been registered against the MLA in Mumbai for money laundering based on 17 complaints alleging that his Aadhaar and SIM card were misused to open a bank account in his name. The fraudster said that the Airtel SIM card purchased in Bandra was linked to illegal transactions.
Minutes later, another man identifying himself as ‘Vikram’ joined a WhatsApp video call posing as a cybercrime investigation officer. A fake arrest warrant, an order to freeze the CBI account and a photograph of a smuggling accused named Sadakat Khan were exhibited to prove its authenticity.
The MLA was told that ₹3 crore from the laundered funds had been transferred to the Canara Bank account opened in his name and that he could be arrested if he did not cooperate.
How was the money transferred?
Fearing public embarrassment, the panicked legislator followed bail orders by transferring 1.07 billion Indian rupees through nine transactions between 10 and 15 October. The scam came to light only when the fraudsters made another demand of Rs 60 lakh, promising a court clearance certificate.
Police action and consultation
Hyderabad cybercrime police have registered a case under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, including sections related to cheating, impersonation, forgery and organized cybercrime.
Authorities have urged citizens to be wary of fake law enforcement calls and immediately report such incidents through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
(With inputs from TOI)
