In a major breakthrough, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau arrested Sunil Kumar Maasthi Rathnappa, a 35-year-old event manager from Bengaluru, for his involvement in a large-scale cheating case. Rathnappa, along with his associates, allegedly defrauded a realtor from Nalgonda of a staggering Rs7.19 crore between August 2023 and April 2024.
The accused employed a sophisticated scam where they convinced the complainant to transfer money for the release of international remittances that were allegedly seized by the customs department at the Hyderabad International Airport. Rathnappa and his gang promised the victim a 30% commission on the seized funds once they were “released,” further adding to the deception.
According to police officials, the fraudsters used 80 different bank accounts and executed 280 transactions to move the money, starting with a sum of Rs38.5 lakh that the complainant transferred to Rathnappa’s account. The scammers also fabricated a story involving fake documentation, including a letter purportedly issued by the Ministry of Textiles, which falsely appointed one of the co-conspirators, Rathod, as the chairman of the National Jute Board. This alleged position was used to persuade the complainant that Rathod’s influence could help release the seized funds.
To further gain the victim’s trust, Rathnappa and his associates sent fake letters from foreign banks, the RBI, and other international agencies via WhatsApp. These documents were designed to make the fraud appear legitimate and ensure the victim continued to transfer money for various processing fees, transaction taxes, and other charges.
The scam continued for nearly nine months, with the complainant being led to believe that he would soon receive substantial financial returns. However, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau managed to track the money trail, leading to Rathnappa’s arrest. Authorities seized his mobile phone and an ATM card as part of the investigation. The other co-accused, including Rathod and Giri, are still absconding.
