Fake cop cons real cop promising good posting

Visakhapatnam: This real-life story has all the ingredients of a reel-life potboiler.

A 37-year-old habitual offender masquerading as a police officer conned a sub-inspector promising him a good posting.

The fraudster even extracted Rs four lakh from the sub-inspector (SI) at Srikakulam. When SI realized that he has been cheated, he lodged a police complaint.

Cops immediately swung into action and arrested Rachapalli Srinu alias Mangali Srinu from a flyover in Srikakulam. Preliminary investigation revealed that he has conned many government officials and extracted Rs 70 lakh from them on different pretexts.

Police have seized a handbag, document containing particulars of the victims, a phone book and Rs. 50,000 in cash.

Hailing from Nallamad Mandal in Anantapuram district, he is facing several cheating cases. Courts have issued 18 non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against him. Most of the NBWs have been issued in Rayalaseema and Bangalore. The cases pending against him include cheating two Armed Reserve Constables at Guntur and Vijayawada and a teacher at Ragolu.

Superintendent of Police, Srikakulam, Ammireddy said the accused initially used to commit chain snatchings and small robberies but he later changed his modus operandi and targeted government servants mostly those who were facing corruption cases.

“He used to steal SIM cards for communication with his clients. Later he would destroy the SIM cards to keep the police at bay”, said Ammireddy