Mandapeta:A trickster, who conned hundreds of people in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana identifying himself as a high official for years, found himself in a police dragnet on Tuesday.
Rachampalli Srinivas alias Mangala Srinu alias Vasu of Velamaddi in Nalamada Mandal of Anantapur district, who started with gold chain theft, but gradually engaged himself in big crimes. Soon after dropping out of school in class 7, he started committing crimes in quick intervals and was jailed several times. After finishing his jail terms, he kept collecting names and phone numbers of high officials, involved in financial irregularities, of several key government departments.
He would demand money from them faking himself higher officials and promising them to save from punitive action by police and enforcement agencies. Ramachandrapuram DSP TSRK Prasad revealed these details at a press conference.
"This is a rare case of a conman whose methodology was complex and intriguing. Rachampalli Srinivas used to study the mannerisms and languages of the police officers and used these traits to his advantage. After his release from jail, he would target high officials of various government departments who faced disciplinary actions for corruption. Srinivas would call them, identifying himself as DIG, IG, and ACB. He threatened them with dire actions if they failed to give him money," Prasad said.