Gang held for extortion, arms smuggling

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 20. The Warangal police have apprehended a nine- member gang belonging to the CPI-ML (Praja Prati Ghatana) for extortion and arms smuggling in the district during the last five years. The police found a list of 30 persons who allegedly indulged in extortion and arms supply with the help of the PPG. The others will be apprehended shortly, the police said.

The gang members extorted lakhs of rupees from people ranging from petty traders to big businessmen and diverted the funds to purchase arms and ammunition for the underground outfit. According to a press release issued by the district police, the arrested persons--Ratnam Ravi alias Ganesh, Manchikalapudi Soma Raju, Siripurapu Amar Babu, Kasarala Rajaiah and Gudavalli Satyanarayana--had extorted at gun-point over Rs.38.5 lakhs from various people as part funds during the last six months. They handed over the amount to Mohananna, leader of the PPG.

The release said the breakthrough in the case came with the arrest of Ratnam Ravi of Regonda, a central courier of the PPG by the Mulug police led by the DSP and the CI of Venkatapur.

Interrogation of Ravi revealed the names of the weapon smugglers, extortionists, who allegedly operated with the help of the PPG.

Ravi used to bring the demand letters for funds from Mohananna and hand them over to businessmen. The traders would approach secretly G. Satyanarayana and Amar Babu and give them cash. After collecting the amount from various traders' associations of Warangal district, particularly Mulug, the duo would fix an appointment with the dalam through Soma Raju. Finally, the money would be handed over to Mohananna.

Mohananna used to give money to Amar Babu, Hari Babu, Porika Raju and Bantholu Bhadraiah to purchase arms and ammunition for the party. Bhadraiah and Raju had gone to Bihar and West Bengal to contact the arms smugglers and pay them huge amounts for weapons.

The duo bought at a cost of Rs.18 lakhs, 22 weapons smuggled from Bihar and West Bengal in trains, lorries and cars. The police recovered three weapons from Bhadraiah, Raju and Amar Babu.

According to the SP, the other aspects of arms smuggling and extortion racket are being investigated.

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