BRS MLA Duped by Cyber Criminals

Cyber criminals continue to target people across all sections of society, from common citizens to public representatives. In a shocking incident, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, an MLA from Telangana, fell victim to an online fraud. The scamsters allegedly contacted him posing as a senior official from the finance department and lured him with a fake central government scheme named “Vikasit Bharat.” Believing it would benefit people in his constituency, the MLA engaged in the conversation and was convinced to proceed further.

The fraudster claimed that 40 beneficiaries could receive financial aid of ₹5 to ₹10 lakh each and requested ₹2,500 per application, totaling ₹1 lakh, to process the scheme. Trusting the claim, the MLA transferred the amount via PhonePe. However, after receiving no response, he realized it was a scam and immediately alerted authorities. He lodged a complaint with the Jubilee Hills Police and coordinated with bank officials to stop the transaction. He later urged the public to remain cautious, stating, “I was cheated; do not fall prey to such cyber frauds.”