Police seized Rs 18 lakh, a car, and a police uniform. Rao had been previously jailed for similar offenses.

HYDERABAD: A 35-year-old man, Bathula Srinivas Rao, who masqueraded as a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and cheated several people by promising them jobs and collecting money, was arrested by Suryapet police. An amount of Rs 18 lakh, a car, and a police uniform were seized from him.
The man was noticed near a hotel on March 10, moving in suspicious circumstances. The police, who were informed about him by the hotel management, went there and arrested him.
Police said Srinivas Rao of Mattipalli village would trap unemployed youth, promise them jobs, and collect money.
He reportedly took Rs 36 lakh from a woman in Kodad, promising her a job as a Sub-Inspector.
While he spent Rs 18 lakh on enjoying luxuries, the remaining amount with him was seized, police said.
There are also cases registered against him in Andhra Pradesh.
He was released from jail in September 2024 on bail after being arrested for deceiving some people with the same modus operandi, Suryapet district SP K Narasimha said.