India: TV channel head held for duping people in Telangana
He posed as a government official to gain their confidence
Ranga Reddy,Telangana: The Cyberabad police on Monday arrested the chairman of a TV channel for allegedly cheating people on the pretext of allocating houses under a government plan, police said.
According to the police, the accused has been identified as Guthula Prashanth, 28, resident of East Godhawari District in Andhra Pradesh. Police seized eight fake flat allotment letters and Rs800,000 among other things.
Explaining his modus operandi, the police said that Prashanth used to introduce himself to innocent people and make them believe that the Telangana government has sanctioned double bedroom houses located at Nizampet and Kaithalapur to media people and he can allocate the houses to them.
He collected photocopies of 35-40 people's Aadhaar cards, passport size photos, current electricity bill of the present address and Rs1,55,000 to 1,70,000 from each person.
After 10 days he gave fake allotment order copy in the name of the "Government of Telangana Housing (RH & C.A1) Department" which was prepared on his laptop, police said. He took colour prints on bond paper and forged and signed them as a section officer of Medchal district, police said.
Taking advantage of the innocence of poor people, he gave fake allotment order copies to 40 people belonging to KPHB colony, Kukatpally, Bachupally and Miyapur Police Station limits to make them believe that he is a genuine person, police said.
On getting information from local sources, police arrested Prashanth, police said.
"One Mahindra XUV vehicle, one Samsung mobile, a Lenovo laptop, an HP colour printer, eight fake 2BHK house allotment letters, two stamps and Rs800,000 in cash were seized," police said.