The 61-year-old MLA from Mydukur in YSR Kadapa district, who currently resides in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, approached the Hyderabad cyber crime police on Thursday evening after realising he had been duped. Police registered a case the same night and launched an investigation. Sudhakar was former chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
How the scam unfolded
According to Sudhakar’s complaint, the ordeal began at 7.30 am on October 10, when he received a call from a man identifying himself as ‘Gaurav Shukla,’ a supposed officer from the Mumbai cyber crime police. The caller claimed that an FIR had been registered against the MLA in Mumbai for money laundering based on 17 complaints, alleging misuse of his Aadhaar and SIM card to open a bank account in his name. The fraudster said an Airtel SIM card purchased in Bandra was linked to illegal transactions.
Minutes later, another man, introducing himself as ‘Vikram,’ joined a WhatsApp video call posing as a cyber crime investigating officer. He displayed a forged arrest warrant, a CBI account freeze order, and a photo of a trafficking accused named Sadakat Khan to lend authenticity.
The MLA was told that ₹3 crore in laundered funds had been transferred into a Canara Bank account opened in his name and that he could face arrest if he failed to cooperate.
How the money was transferred
Fearing public embarrassment, the panicked legislator followed instructions to secure bail by transferring ₹1.07 crore through nine transactions between October 10 and 15. The fraud came to light only when the scammers demanded another ₹60 lakh, promising a court clearance certificate.
Police action and advisory
Hyderabad cyber crime police registered a case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act, including sections on cheating, impersonation, forgery, and organised cybercrime.
Officials urged citizens to stay vigilant against calls from fake law enforcement officers and to report such incidents immediately via the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
(With inputs from TOI)
