Hyderabad: How a man posing as an Australian pub owner duped bizman of ₹1.38 crore
The accused allegedly claimed that he owned four pubs in Melbourne and was planning to establish film and television shooting studios in Aziznagar and Chilkur for rental purposes
By - Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: Man posing as Australian pub owner dupes bizman of ₹1.38 Cr; held
Hyderabad: A man posing as an Australian pub chain owner allegedly duped a businessman of Rs 1.38 crore in Hyderabad. The accused, A. Varaprasad, has been arrested by the CCS (Central Crime Station) police in Hyderabad.
Varaprasad posed as Austrialian citizen who owned four pubs in Melbourne. He projected himself as an investor who is launching a liquor manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu.
False claims of overseas business empire
DCP Chaitanya Kumar said Varaprasad opened an office in Madhapur under the name of an import and export firm. During this time, he befriended T. Narender Reddy, a businessman from Moosarambagh, who frequently visited the office.
The accused allegedly claimed that he owned four pubs in Melbourne and was planning to establish film and television shooting studios in Aziznagar and Chilkur for rental purposes.
He also told the victim that he was making arrangements to set up a liquor manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu and promised high returns on investment. Believing these claims, Narender Reddy invested ₹1.38 crore in multiple instalments.
Evasive Tactics and Threats
When the accused stopped responding to phone calls, the victim realised he had been cheated. On visiting Varaprasad’s residence in Madhapur, he was informed that the accused had left for Australia.
After returning, Varaprasad reportedly promised to register a flat in the victim’s name. However, it later emerged that the flat did not belong to him and that he was only a tenant. The complainant further discovered that the accused had allegedly cheated several others in India and abroad under the guise of business ventures.
When Narender Reddy demanded repayment, the accused allegedly threatened him using rowdy-sheeters. A complaint was lodged with the police in January this year.
Arrest at Shamshabad Airport
Following the complaint, CCS police issued a lookout notice against Varaprasad. He was recently intercepted and arrested at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad, and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
Police are currently searching for three of his relatives who are reportedly absconding in connection with the case.
The DCP has appealed to other possible victims of Varaprasad to approach the CCS and file complaints.
