December 1, 2025:
In a major operation, the Warangal Police Commissionerate Task Force and Mills Colony Police arrested five members of a gang that had been impersonating ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau) DSP officers and extorting money from government officials. Three other accused are absconding. Police have seized five mobile phones from the arrested individuals.
The arrested persons have been identified as:
• Rachampalli Srinivas alias Mangala Srinu alias Vasu, 45, Velamaddhi village, Nallamada mandal, Sri Sathya Sai Puttaparthi district, Andhra Pradesh (prime accused)
• Naveen JR, Harohalli taluk, Ramanagar district, Karnataka
• Mangala Ravinder, Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Murali, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• N. Prasanna, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Those still absconding include Suryaprakash, Tatimarri Venu, and Kottakota Ramana.
Warangal Police Commissioner Sun Preet Singh revealed that the prime accused, Rachampalli Srinivas, had been targeting senior and soon-to-retire government officials by calling them over the phone and posing as an ACB DSP. He threatened them with fabricated corruption cases and extorted money.
In one such instance, he called Tummala Jaipal Reddy, Motor Vehicle Inspector at the Road Transport Department in Warangal district, and extorted ₹9.96 lakh through threats. Based on the victim’s complaint, Mills Colony Police registered a case and launched an investigation.
Using technical evidence, the police apprehended Srinivas and four of his accomplices.
During interrogation, Srinivas confessed that he began his criminal activities in 2002 with motorcycle thefts. Later, he posed as a fake police officer and extorted gold and money from families of accused persons involved in theft cases in the Rayalaseema region. He amassed nearly 50 cases and was arrested multiple times.
Even after being released from jail, he committed more crimes—over 41 chain-snatching cases in Bengaluru and Rayalaseema—leading to further arrests.
After his latest release, he again turned to easy money by impersonating an ACB DSP and extorting government employees. A total of 19 cases have been registered against him so far, involving extortions worth over ₹50 lakh. Of these, 9 cases are in Telangana and 10 in Andhra Pradesh. He was arrested in 8 cases and has been evading arrest in 11 others across various districts including Warangal, Karimnagar, Hyderabad, Rachakonda, Ramagundam, Vikarabad, Jagtial, Wanaparthy, and Kurnool.
Police said the accused spent the extorted money on online betting, Goa casinos, and prostitution networks in Goa and Bengaluru.
Police Commissioner Shanpreet Singh appreciated the efforts of Central Zone DCP D. Kavitha, Warangal ACP N. Shubham Prakash IPS, Task Force ACP A. Madhusudhan, Inspectors L. Pavan Kumar, K. Sridhar, L. Mangalilal, Mills Colony Inspector B. Ramesh, SIs S. Mahesh, M. Suresh, and the Task Force & Mills Colony PS teams. Rewards were presented to the officers for their commendable work.
