Man arrested for extorting Rs 20 lakh using HYDRAA's name

HYDERABAD: A man was arrested on Wednesday in Hyderabad for allegedly extorting money from builders while posing as a Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) representative.

The accused, identified as Dr Bandla Viplav, threatened builders in Sangareddy district, claiming he had close ties to HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath. Viplav demanded Rs. 20 lakh from the builders, prompting them to file a complaint with the police. Following the complaint, Sangareddy police arrested Viplav, currently in custody.

HYDRAA Commissioner Ranganath issued a statement warning the public against such fraudulent activities and urging anyone facing similar threats to report them to the authorities immediately.