Vizag: Sacked CRPF jawan pose as cop, cheat youth of Rs 3 Cr promising jobs; held

Visakhapatnam: Pendurthi police on Friday arrested a dismissed CRPF for impersonating a police officer and cheating unemployed youth of Rs 3 crore on the pretext of providing them jobs in Indian Railways. Police are looking for his girlfriend who is on the run.

Police seized a dummy revolver, fake ID cards, a police uniform, fake appointment letters, and vehicles from him. Police said they have launched a manhunt to arrest his girlfriend.

The accused has been identified as Hanumanthu Ramesh, a native of Srikakulam district. His absconding girlfriend has been identified as Praveena, a resident of Vizag city.

Ramesh joined CRPF as a constable a decade ago and was dismissed from service after locals complained against him during his posting in Kashmir.

Ramesh posed as a Sub-Inspector Police in Vizag city sporting a police uniform and travelling in a SUV. He stayed at Pendurthi locality in Vizag city and promised the youth that he could influence the top central officials and secure jobs for them in railways. He collected around Rs75 lakh from 15 youngsters in Vizag city and gave them fake appointment letters.

Similarly, he duped over 60 persons in parts of Vizag and Vizianagaram districts. He allegedly married two women and purchased one flat each for them. Later, he trapped Praveena and hired a luxury flat for her. Ramesh and Praveena also claimed to be police officers and duped some more unemployed youth.

The job racket came to light after some youth who visited the railway board at Secunderabad with fake appointment letters, realized that they were cheated. Later, they approached Pendurthi police and lodged a complaint. Pendurthi police with the support of the Task Force police visited Secunderabad and a few other places and took Ramesh into their custody for the interrogation.