Amaravati: Cybercrime continues to escalate alongside the widespread use of the internet, mobile applications, and social media. In a recent case, Andhra Pradesh CID officials busted a gang that allegedly used the name and photo of IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh to defraud unsuspecting victims of Rs 54.34 lakh.
According to officials, the accused created a fake WhatsApp profile with Lokesh’s photo as the display picture and used it to intimidate victims into transferring large sums of money. The gang claimed to be raising funds for medical aid, using hashtags such as Help@Lokesh, Help@NCBN, and Help@PawanKalyan to gain credibility.
Investigations revealed that the main accused, identified as Kondoori Rajesh from Puttaparthi, posed as the TDP NRI Convenor and initially targeted the minister’s associates and party leaders. The gang reportedly sent fake credit receipts to make the transactions appear genuine and charged victims an additional 4% “processing fee.”
The CID has identified the accused as Kondoori Rajesh (A1), Gutthikonda Sai Srinath (A2), and Chittadi Thala Sumanth (A3). Rajesh, who had earlier been involved in similar online scams, was the first to be arrested. Based on his confession, police apprehended the remaining two accused from Hyderabad. All three were presented before a court and remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.
Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious against online fraud and report any suspicious messages or fake solicitations to the police. They warned that falling prey to such scams could result in severe financial losses.