Godman with many avatars held in Hyderabad

Mangalore Today News Network

Hyderabad, Sep 26, 2017: A self-proclaimed godman, who went about in different avatars including one in which he named himself Manik Baasha after superstar Rajinikanth’s character in a movie, was arrested here on Monday while trying to sell cheap pearls projecting them as diamonds.

According to the Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar police, Madiriki Babu Rao, 50, an astrologist by profession and a resident of Balkampet in SR Nagar, was arrested while trying to sell 97 fake diamonds to gullible people.

A tip-off had prompted the police to carry out a decoy operation on Rao’s house, and he was caught red-hand while trying to settle a deal with a customer, police said.

“During questioning, it was revealed that he purchased the cheap pearls from Charminar and was trying to sell them at exorbitant prices saying they were diamonds,” said M Venkateswarlu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Punjagutta Division.

Police said Rao had also claimed to be a member of the Press, of the ‘Indian American Council’ and a human rights activist as well. He had forged identity cards with such titles to convince his customers.

“He also had different voter ID cards with various names like Manik Baasha, Dr Jitender Kulkarini Madriki, and M Babu Rao apart from a driving license in the name of M. Rama Chandra and a PAN card for Jitender Kulkarini Madriki with his photograph on them,” Venkateswarlu said.

Rao was arrested in May, 2015 as well by the SR Nagar police for selling brass antique idols in the name of ‘panchaloha’ idols. The cheating case was still pending before the court, police said.

Rao was produced before court and remanded in judicial custody.

Courtesy: Telanganatoday.com