Andhra Pradesh Man Arrested for Posing as Lokayukta Officer in Extortion Scam
Mangaluru police arrested a 31-year-old man, Dhananjaya Reddy Thota, for impersonating a Lokayukta officer to extort money via WhatsApp. The Ullal police revealed that Thota contacted Purushottam, a local panchayat officer, claiming to be a Lokayukta official investigating a corruption case. He demanded money in exchange for “resolving” the matter.
Suspicious of the claim, Purushottam reported the incident to the authorities. Acting promptly, the police launched an investigation and traced the call to Andhra Pradesh, where they apprehended Thota on Saturday.
Preliminary findings confirmed that Thota had no ties to the Lokayukta. Instead, he was leveraging the fear of legal action to scam officials. The Ullal police are now investigating whether he was involved in similar fraudulent schemes in other regions.
The case serves as a stark reminder for government employees to remain vigilant against scams exploiting fear and authority. Thota is currently in police custody, and further inquiries are ongoing.
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