Sangareddy: Man posing as social worker threatens, blackmails builders in the name of HYDRAA; held

Hyderabad: Police on Wednesday arrested a person for threatening the builders in the name of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA).

The accused has been identified as Dr Bandla Viplav, a resident of Ameenpur in Sangareddy district.

HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath said that a couple of builders had approached him at his office on Monday and filed a complaint about Viplav who threatened and demanded money from them under the guise of a social worker.

After examining the facts of this complaint, SP Sangareddy received the complaint from the aggrieved builder as per the instructions of the HYDRAA Commissioner. A case has been registered by the police against Viplav. The accused was arrested by the police on Wednesday and sent to remand.

HYDRAA Commissioner said that for the last few days, a few persons under the guise of social workers had approached builders after the agency intensified its demolition drive in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and Cyberabad.

Taking advantage of the situation, they threatened the builders that their constructions in or around the buffer zone, FTL, and said that these are illegal constructions and would be reported to the HYDRAA.

Explaining the modus operandi of the fraudsters, Ranganath said that the fraudsters hoodwinked the builders by showing pictures of them with the higher officials in the HYDRAA and making them believe that their issues would be rectified if they paid money to them. If the builders refused to pay the amount to the fraudsters they threatened to file a complaint with the HYDRAA, he said.

Ranganath also appealed to the people to file a complaint with the police, HYDRAA, and ACB even if the revenue, municipal, irrigation, and HYDRAA officials threatened and demanded money from them.

“The state government and chief minister have established the HYDRAA department to protect the water bodies from encroachments. Strict action will be taken against anyone who attempts to water down the efforts or those who try to mislead the HYDRAA. Apart from that legal action will be taken against any person who engages in money collection activities for selfish purposes in the name of the HYDRAA,” Ranganath said.