Personal assistants of former AP minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, hubby among 3 held

HYDERABAD: Three persons, including two personal assistants (PAs) of former AP minister Bhuma Akhila Priya and her husband Bhargav Ram, were arrested by Hyderabad police on Monday for their alleged involvement in the abduction of three businessmen — Praveen Rao, Sunil Rao, Naveen Rao — related to chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s PA. Police have declared 19 persons, including fugitive Bhargav Ram, as accused in the case.
Briefing the media on Monday, Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said B Sampath, PA of arrested Akhila Priya, N Mallikarjuna Reddy, PA of Bhargav Ram, and driver D Balachennaiah were arrested.In the sensational case, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (North Zone) Kalmeshwar Shingenavar might be made a witness.

Mallikarjun Reddy, in his confession, admitted that he had bought six mobile phone SIM cards at a store at Miyapur on January 2 and 3 to execute the abduction of Praveen, Sunil and Naveen with whom Akhila Priya’s family had a property dispute.
These SIM cards were used by different accused involved in the case, including Akhila Priya, and the prime executor of the conspiracy, Guntur Srinu, who is absconding.
Some of the accused, including Srinu, met at a hotel at Kukatpally and hatched a conspiracy about how to execute the kidnap. As part of the planning, police said Sampath and Balachennaiah conducted a recce of the victim’s Manovikasnagar residence and later they shared the information with Bhargav Ram and Srinu about the movement of the victims.
“During investigation, it was established that Akhila Priya planned and executed the crime along with Bhargav Ram, Guntur Srinu and other accomplices in order to grab the land or extort money from the victims,’’ the Hyderabad police chief said.
At 5.48pm on January 5, Akhila Priya started her journey from Vijayawada to Hyderabad. At various points of her travel, using the SIM bought by Mallikarjun to execute the kidnap, she and other accused were constantly in touch. It was late in the evening, the victims were abducted from their residence by the accused posing as income tax officials.
Police produced before the media several fake vehicle registration number plates used by the accused during the execution of the crime.
“Critical evidence is that one of the abductors using one of the numbers, which was part of the six SIMs, called Akhila Priya on her phone on the day of the kidnapping. Later, the kidnapper made victim Sunil Rao call DCP, North Zone, Kalmeshwar Shingenavar and inform that they were safe at 1am on January 6, an hour before they were set free,’’ the CP said, adding that, if need be, the DCP would also be made a witness in the case.