Podili: Inter-state fake currency racket busted, Rs 4 lakh seized

Podili: The Prakasam district police arrested an interstate gang cheating the vulnerable people with counterfeit currency notes.

SP Malika Garg gave the case details in a press meet at Podili police station on Wednesday.

One Pamula Adinarayana of Chennu Kothapalli in Anantapur district used to go to Bagepalli of Karnataka to seek blessings of Leelavathi who runs a trust for cows and maintains disciples. Through others he got introduced to Satyanarayana of Tadepalligudem who is involved in cheating the public in the name of gold biscuits and fake currency notes, says SP Garg.

Meanwhile, Madhumanchi Anjaiah, a native of East Veerayapalem in Darsi mandal, living in Tadepalligudem with his family, also involved in the cheating activities.

Staying in the same street, Satyanarayana and Anjaiah developed acquaintance and are involved in 25 to 30 cheating cases in West Godavari, Guntur, Prakasam, Kadapa, Kurnool and Hyderabad districts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the SP said.

With the extended contacts, Adinarayana and Anjaiah trapped Sattar Rahamtulla Khan of Bengaluru, who wanted to become a billionaire overnight, and convinced him that Anjaiah created currency notes with his mystical powers. They said that the notes have an expiry date of two years and they can be deposited in the banks or exchanged in the shops.

They welcomed Rahamtulla Khan to come to Podili and inspect the notes personally. Rahmatulla Khan along with two others reached Podili on July 7, 2021, while Pamula Adinarayana, Madhumanchi Anjaiah brought Madhumanchi Prasad, Amara Brahmaiah, Madhumanchi Rattaiah. After making a few transactions with the Rs 500 notes given to them Rahamatulla Khan and his friends believed that they can easily exchange the cash created with mystical powers, and took the box that allegedly contained Rs 70 lakh by paying Rs 7 lakh to them.

However, after reaching the outskirts, they verified all bundles of cash and found that they are the counterfeit currency used in decoration during festivals, and games by kids.

They complained to the police about the incident, who arrested Amara Brahmaiah and Madhumanchi Rattaiah of East Veerayapalem in Darsi mandal on the same day and seized Rs 4 lakh and a car from them.

In continuation of the investigation, the police arrested the main accused Pamula Adinarayana and Madhamanchi Anjaiah and his son Madhamanchi Prasad and seized Rs 2.90 lakh and 30 bundles of counterfeit currency.

SP Malika Garg advised the people not to fall prey to the gangs offering gold biscuits for a cheap price, fake notes, rice pulling coins and utensils, earth snakes, and treasure troves in the name of mystical powers. She said that the investigation will continue to verify the involvement of other gangs and groups in this case.

DSP V Narayana Swamy Reddy, Podili CI U Sudhakar Rao, SIs Srihari, Subbaraju and others also participated in the press meet.