7-member gang arrested; Gold jewellery worth 1.23 cr seized

Eluru: Eluru city police arrested a seven-member gang who claimed themselves to be activists of Jana Sena Party (JSP) and resorted to blackmailing and extorting money from young women. The police seized 3.5 kgs of gold ornaments worth Rs 1.23 crore, motorbikes and a Chevrolet car from them.

Addressing a media conference at the District Police office here on Friday evening, Superintendent of Police M Ravi Prakash said that Datti Balaji (A1), Simhadri Balachander alias Balu (A2), Pilla Sai Devendra Naidu (A3),  Wipparti Francis, Kondi Rajesh, Gujjula Rajeev and Tummalapalli Ashok Kumar were activists in Jana Sena Party (JSP) and participated in various programmes organised by actor Pawan Kalyan fans
Out of the seven, A1 Balaji, A2 Simhadri Balachander, A3 Devendra Naidu started Facebook accounts and sent friends requests to young women of Eluru city. 

They also used WhatsApp messenger and started sending messages to those young women who accepted their requests. The trio used to chat with the young girls on Facebook messenger and WhatsApp and introduced themselves as online businessmen and they are well acquainted with cine heroes. Besides this, they told them that they visit various countries as part of their business. In the chat, the trio told the young women that they will introduce them to cine heroes. As a proof, they started posting the images of film actors with the trio. 

The three main accused by trapping the young women saved the screenshots of those chatting messages. Later on, they used to ask them some money for their business or gold. It the women rejected their request to give the money or gold, the accused used to blackmail them by showing the screenshots of the chat messages and threatened them that they will show the messages to their parents or upload their morphed photos in the net. 

The three accused with the help of the other accused started extortion after the blackmailing and collected the gold from them. The SP said that the accused have pledged the gold collected through extortion in UAE exchange, Muthoot, Manappuram and Axis banks. They went on luxurious trips to Goa and other areas with the money and played games like rollet, blackjack, poker and Andar Bahar and took part in gambling in Casinos.  

They also purchased luxurious cars, motorbikes, mobile phones, tabs and maintained a high profile in the society. They used to take rooms on rent in Eluru city and surrounding areas to conduct parties and to meet women. SP said that the main accused Datti Balaji introduced himself in the name of ‘Arya’ and in other names to young women.

The SP said that Balaji has sent a friends request to a bullion merchant’s daughter in the one-town area and within days he started chatting on Facebook and WhatsApp. After some days, he started blackmailing her that he will post her private photos and chat on the net and defame their family. 

He has taken 3.5 Kgs of gold ornament in a phased manner over the last two years.  He has pledged those gold ornaments in the UAE exchange, Muthoot, Munappuram, Axis Bank and with the money that get from the hypothecation amount used to tour all over the country along with his friends and spent money lavishly, SP added.

The SP said the group also cheated three other women. On information, the police arrested the seven accused on Thursday night around 7 pm at ASRM hospital junction on the outskirts of Eluru city. The police also seized electronic goods worth Rs 2 lakh worth from them. 

He requested the women not to accept unknown persons’ friend requests on the Facebook and suggested parents to be watchful on their children’s activities. Eluru DSP K Eswar Rao, One-town CI Adapa Naga Murali, 3-town CI Venkateswara Rao, Sub-inspectors N Kishore Babu and A Pydibabu participated in the media conference. The SP commended the efforts of ID party constable Baji and ASI Maqbool.