A Reserve Inspector (RI) of City Armed Reserve (CAR) along with a Home Guard and a police constable working with Visakhapatnam city police were among the four, who were arrested by the Dwaraka Zone Police, in Visakhapatnam on July 7, for allegedly extorting ₹12 lakh from two retired naval employees.
The arrested were identified as RI, CAR, B. Swarnalatha, AR Police Constable M. Hemasundar, Home Guard V. Srinivasa Rao alias Srinu and a middleman named V. Suri Babu of Arilova.
Addressing a press conference on July 7, Commissioner of Police, C. M. Trivikrama Varma said that two former naval employees named Srinu and Sridhar from the city got retirement benefits close to ₹90 lakh. Recently, through a person named Gopi, they got in touch with one Suri Babu of Arilova, who informed them that by giving ₹500 notes, he would return ₹2,000 notes with 10 % profit. In their case, they were assured to be given ₹1 crore of ₹2,000 denominations, if they provide ₹90 lakh in ₹500 denominations, which is almost ₹10 lakh profit.
The Commissioner of Police said Home Guard Srinivasa Rao and PC M Hemasundar came to know about the exchange deal through Suri Babu. The two police personnel informed about the deal to their RI Swarnalatha, who together allegedly planned to make good of it.
On June 3 at around 6 p.m., the two former naval employees had come to Seethammadhara to meet Suri Babu. Suri Babu got into their car and was counting the money. In the meantime, RI, PC and the Home Guard had already reached the spot in another car. Constable Hema Sundar got into the car of Srinu and allegedly informed them that police came to know about the exchange.
“In order to create a panic atmosphere, Hema Sundar reportedly slapped Suri Babu and threatened them that if police gets involved and starts investigating the case, either by the Task Force or the Income Tax Department, they would seize the entire money,” the CP said.
The two former naval employees who were panicked, then agreed to negotiate with the RI Swarnalatha and settle the issue.
As per the CP, the RI had received about ₹5 lakh, while PC Hema Sundar had received ₹2 lakh cash and Home Guard Srinivasa Rao received ₹10,000. Suri Babu, who was the middleman also demanded and collected ₹5 lakh.
After the extortion, the police personnel asked the victims to leave from the spot assuring no trouble further. However, on June 6, victim Srinu had lodged a complaint with the city police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Vidya Sagar Naidu, DCP (Crimes) G. Naganna investigated the case and arrested the four persons.
“The arrests in the case clearly indicates that every one is equal before the law. No one will be spared if they commit crime and create trouble for the people,” he said.
The CP also said the police would further check about the money claimed as retirement benefits from the former navy people. “All the extorted money was recovered from the accused,” he said, adding that the accused were booked under relevant Sections.
