Cyber fraudsters dupe AP MLA Putta Sudhakar Yadav of ₹1.07 crore
HYDERABAD: Cyber criminals defrauded Andhra Pradesh MLA Putta Sudhakar Yadav of ₹1.07 crore by threatening him with a “digital arrest”. Hyderabad Cybercrime police have launched an investigation after the MLA filed a complaint.
Scammers posed as Mumbai cyber police in video calls
The TDP legislator from Mydukur, currently residing in Banjara Hills, received a phone call on October 10 from a man identifying himself as Gaurav Shukla from the Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch. During a video call, a man in uniform accused Yadav of involvement in a money-laundering case and showed him forged documents and fake warrants.
MLA transferred money fearing digital arrest and defamation
Another caller, claiming to be Cyber Crime officer Vikram, displayed what appeared to be a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrest warrant and demanded cooperation in an alleged inquiry. The MLA, fearing damage to his reputation, transferred ₹1.07 crore to the accounts provided between October 10 and 15.
Later, the fraudsters demanded an additional ₹60 lakh for a “court clearance certificate”. Realising he had been duped, Yadav lodged a complaint with Hyderabad Cybercrime police. Officials reported that they have frozen ₹16 lakh from the suspect accounts so far.
Hyderabad police trace suspects to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
Preliminary investigation revealed that the conmen were operating from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and parts of Haryana. Police have detained three suspects from the erstwhile East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh for providing bank accounts to the gang.
Cybercrime officers said such “digital arrest” scams are on the rise, with fraudsters using fake IDs and official-looking video calls to intimidate victims.
