Overview

• The seven accused, including two women, were identified as natives of Godavarikhani in Pedapally district and were produced before the court for judicial remand.
• Police allege the group deposited sanctioned Chief Minister’s Relief Fund cheques into their own bank accounts and withdrew the money, cheating both the state and genuine beneficiaries.
• Cases were registered under IPC Sections 409, 417, 419, 467, and 120(B) along with Section 66(C) of the Information Technology Act.
• The arrests tie into five cases booked since last year, following July detentions of four others including Jogula Naresh Kumar in an alleged scheme involving 230 undistributed cheques.
• Investigators say 19 cheques were funneled into forged or similarly named accounts at an SBI branch in Jubilee Hills, and efforts continue to trace absconders and recover funds.