Visakhapatnam: Cops arrest fake government officials for issuing fines to vendors

On Wednesday, 23 November 2022, the Visakhapatnam City Police arrested four fake government officials threatening and robbing money from people. As per the police reports, the accused established a not-for-profit organisation named Consumer Rights Protection Committee in December 2019. These men have allegedly been threatening shop vendors and collecting fines stating various reasons.

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This series of crimes came to light when B Hemanth (20), a tiffin shop owner, raised a complaint at the Kancharapalem Police Station. According to the complainant, two men first came to his shop on 16 November 2022. They allegedly reprimanded him for using household gas cylinders for commercial purposes, posing as officials from the collectorate. Further, they warned Hemanth that it would attract a Rs 10,000 fine or imprisonment for three months.

The complainant told the Visakhapatnam City Police that the men again arrived at his shop on 22 November 2022. They handed him a receipt for Rs 1,500 with Consumer Right Protection Committee’s name on it. Upon collecting the fine, the accused allegedly stated that they would lodge a complaint at the collectorate if Hemanth failed to follow their instructions to remove the gas cylinder.

Based on the victim’s complaint, the Visakhapatnam City Police formed teams and launched a search for these fake government officials. After a thorough search, the officials captured four men near Thatichetlapalem on the afternoon of 23 November 2022. The police identified the criminals as K Sudarshan (40), G Rajesh Prabhu Kiran (44), K Naga Raju (28), and S Chinna Reddy (30). Additionally, the officials seized an Alto car, a Pulsar motorcycle, mobile phones, and registration documents of the Consumer Rights Protection Committee.

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