Cyberabad police busts abduction gang; arrest fake army officer, 3 others

Hyderabad: The Special Operations Team of Cyberabad police arrested an imposter who was posing as an army officer to kidnap people for ransom.

Identified as SS Vijaya Karthikeya Singh alias Raghu Verma, he impersonated as an army officer and kidnapped G. Nikhil for ransom. Three of his associates were also arrested.

Cops recovered three dummy weapons, two military uniforms, fake ID cards, one walkie talky, one electroshock instrument (5000 volts), two handcuffs, one mobile phone, and certificates.

Police said the main accused is a native of Kummuchikala village of West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. “He completed his studies in 2016. He learnt driving and contacted Pasha in Hyderabad. He later worked as a driver at Hyderabad. He is involved in different theft cases registered in Santhnagar police station and Panjagutta Police station in 2017 and 2018 respectively. He appeared in the army recruitment rally in 2017 and 2018 but was not selected given his criminal record,” police said

Later he came to Hyderabad and posed as an army officer. He created fake ID cards and purchased an army uniform. He even faked gallantry awards and bought two air rifles and one dummy pistol. He was moving around as an army officer using fake ID cards at Hyderabad.

Special Operation Team (SOT) Madhapur Zone of #CyberabadPolice has busted a Kidnapping Case and arrested 01 fake Army officer and 03 other accused persons who involved in a kidnapping and extortion Case in the limits of RC Puram PS @TelanganaCOPs @TelanganaDGP pic.twitter.com/WHVcaiiw6y

— Cyberabad Police (@cyberabadpolice) September 29, 2020

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“He was introducing himself as Major and Colonel. He cheated innocent persons by promising jobs in the Indian Army. He even pocketed Rs 6,80,000 from them. He used to affix Indian army stickers on rented cars. He used to attend various social programs and shops opening ceremony in uniform,” police said.

His cover was blown off when he and his three associate kidnapped an entrepreneur for ransom.

“During interrogation, the accused revealed that on September 5, the complainant went to BHEL on business purposes. At around 6 pm he was surrounded by SS Vijaya Karthikeya Singh and three others. They told him that they are from Military intelligence and need some information about his father’s friend. They snatched his mobile phones and car keys and took him in a to the pipeline road near Hafeezpet,” police said.

After 10 minutes SS Vijaya Karthikeya and Jor Singh appeared in full military uniform and bullet-proof jackets. They were carrying rifles, pistols, jammer, walkie talkies and electric shock instrument.

“They hand-cuffed the complainant and told him that they are undercover officers of Military intelligence. They were searching for the complainant's father’s friend. They informed him that he is a terrorist and an illegal arms dealer. They wanted his father to call his friend and indulge him in a conversation so that they get a chance to encounter him. Later they took Rs 26,000 from the complainant. The accused took the complainant’s car Tata Harrier and dropped the other three accused in Banjara Hills. An amount of Rs 12,000 was deducted from his e-wallet,” police said.