Hyderabad Prankster Who Circulated Fake Telangana GO on Lockdown Held

Hyderabad: On 5 April, under the joint operation of CCS, Hyderabad and Commissioner’s Task Force Team, apprehended one accused by name of Sreepathi Sanjeev Kumar who prepared and circulated a fake G.O on April 1 as part of his April Fools prank. It was issued in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Telangana Government. He cheated people by circulating the same on social media.  

He was arrested from his residence in Madhapur. The police seized 1 Dell Laptop (Used in the commission of the offence) and an iPhone from his possession.

Sreepathi Sanjeev Kumar (48) is a native of Dargah Mitta, Nellore Town, A.P. He completed Graduation (B.Com) at his native place in the year 1993 He came to Hyderabad and completed his CA (Chartered Accountancy). Later starting the practice here itself. At present, he is working as C.A. in Karvy & Co., Banjara Hills.

Modus operandi:

On April 1, Kumar downloaded the previous lockdown G.O.No.45 of Telangana Government issued under Covid-19, The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 through online on his Dell laptop. Later he forged the G.O. by changing the dates of the Lockdown of the year 2021 and then circulated the PDF through WhatsApp. He shared the fake copy in his badminton group consisting of 40 members.

Later the group members circulated the fake G.O. to some of their known and unknown persons through WhatsApp. Many assumed that it is an original G.O. issued by the Government of Telangana State. It became viral on social media.

In this regard, a case in Cr.No.823/2021 U/s 469, 505(1)(b) IPC was registered at Cyber Crimes Police Station.

The arrest was made under the supervision of Sri P.Radha Kishan Rao, Dy. Commissioner of Police (OSD), Commissioner’s Task Force, Sri K.V.M.Prasad, ACP, Cyber Crimes PS, Sri P.Rajesh, Inspector of Police, Commissioner’s Task Force, West Zone team, SI Sri G.Satish Reddy of Cyber Crimes PS and SIs Sri P.Mallikarjun, Sri N.Ranjith Kumar, Sri Sheik Kaviuddin, and the staff of West Zone Team, Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad.