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.
He said the accused has committed more than a hundred crimes in Telangana, Bengaluru, Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur, and Konaseema districts. Many non-bailable warrants are pending against him, the police official said. According to Prasad, Venkateswara Rao, who is ASI in Mandapet rural police station of Ambedkar Konaseema district, was duped by the imposter who faked his identity as a top official from ACB office and collected more than 3 lakh.
Rural SI registered a case on December 16 against Srinivas and began an investigation. With the help of the Karnataka Police, the details of the accused were collected and he was arrested at the bicycle stand of Rajamahendravaram railway station on Tuesday.
The accused also used to use other people's phones and receive money through phone pay. Investigation revealed that he did not use Android phones to avoid surveillance. As a precaution, he used to change his mobile phone after the work was done.
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