Nalgonda: Women connived with gangsters to murder husbands for insurance

Cops have also taken five women into custody for conniving with the accused to murder their husbands for insurance.

Nalgonda Police headed by Superintendant A V Ranganath are questioning Sapavath Sakriya (Shoonya Pahad), Roopavath Dva (Jatavath Thanda), Parangi Somaiah (Kondrapole), Dheeravath Lal Singh (Kallepally), and Sapavath Thulsya ((Rallavagu thanda)

How it unfolded:

Dheeravath Raju, a resident of Rallavagu Thanda village of Damarcharla Mandal was the kingpin of the gang. Police said he previously worked as an agent at Golden Trust Finance Services (GTFS), Nalgonda.

Raju became familiar with the process of claiming insurance over a period of ten years. The first case he handled was of Sapavath Sakriya of Palakaveedu Mandal, who had died by suicide.

However, in the records, he did not show it as a suicide. The man was successful in getting a death certificate from the Gram Panchayat secretary. He also bribed the representatives of GTFS to confirm the death of Sakriya and claimed Rs. 14 lakhs.

Surprisingly, Raju paid Rs 30,000 to Sapavath's wife Mogli, who was the deceased's nominee. He kept the rest of amount.

Who were his targets?

Raju scouted for insurance policyholders and especially those who were alcohol addicts and suffered from different ailments. He targeted subscriber's wives as well.

In nexus with wives and family, Raju went to the extent to murder the policyholder and later claim the insurance money by showing that the man died in an accident. In a revelation of sorts, the wives and children too claimed that their kins died in a road accident.

Moreover, Raju assured the family members that they will be paid a major portion of the insurance amount. However, in the end, he would pay a paltry amount to them.

The last case that nailed Raju

In January 2020, Dheeravath Raju targeted Devireddy Kotireddy of Kondrapole in Damaracharla. The man worked in a wine shop and was an alcohol addict. Raju hatched a plan to murder Koti Reddy.

Raju also informed that Koti Reddy's wife, who was having an extramarital affair. He approached the lady's male partner and three of them hatched the plan.

Raju, Hairka (Koti's wife), and Vemula Kondal (her paramour) agreed to share the money equally. Raju obtained a pan card in the name of Koti Reddy and forged his signature. However, there was a hitch. A bank account of Koti Reddy was necessary to claim the insurance. Harika convinced Koti Reddy to open a bank at Laxmi Vilas Bank, Miryalaguda Branch.

In May 2020, an accident care policy for Rs. 45 lakhs was subscribed in the name of Koti Reddy at the branch of `Manipal Signa Insurance Company' and Dheeravath Raju forged the signatures of Koti Reddy on the documents at the time of registration.

Similarly, they got a personal accident policy for Rs. 50 lakhs on the name of Koti Reddy at `Religare Insurance Company' and another policy in June 2020 at Reliance Insurance Company for Rs. 25,000 in the name of Koti Reddy. They paid the first premium for all these policies.

Raju looked for an opportune time to murder Koti Reddy. He approached Kanchi Shiva, who had earlier helped him in a similar crime. Raju promised Shiva Rs 2 lakh once the insurance amount is credited.

As part of the plan, Dheeravath Raju requested Shiva to arrange one auto rickshaw. On February 24, 2021, at about 8.30 PM, Shiva and his friend Sai bundled Koti Reddy in auto and proceeded towards Kondrapole. The auto was followed by a tractor. Sai and Shiva stopped the auto at an isolated place. Sai caught hold of Koti Reddy; Shiva presented hit him on the chest and heart region and killed him on the spot.

Later, both Sai and Shiva took the Koti Reddy's body in the same auto near Bothalapalem village and threw it on the isolated road. Dheeravath Raju ran a tractor over his body. It was shown as a road accident.

During interrogation, Raju confessed to murdering people to claim the insurance money. "The police have launched an investigation and cautioned to be very careful about the persons who are subscribing to life insurance policies and taking the lives of the policyholders. We have cautioned the insurance companies that only after verifying all the matters, insurance amount should be released. In this case, the accused Dheeravath Raju, Kanchi Shiva, Mandaadi Sai Sampath, Devireddy Harika, and Vemula Kondal were arrested and remanded to judicial custody," said A V Ranganath, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), CID.

Police have identified 15 more accused persons. "Five inquiry officers of insurance companies, agents, one bank official, and 11 village elders who have held Panchayat consequent to dispute in the village with regard to distribution of policy insured amounts have also been identified and they would be taken into custody shortly," said Ranganath.