Honey-trapped on WhatsApp, Telugu NRI businessman killed in Andhra Pradesh for unpaid loans

A 55-year old NRI businessman found dead in a parked car on a highway in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh last week was murdered and two people arrested Tuesday for alleged involvement in the crime, police said. In a related development, S Malla Reddy, Assistant Commissioner of Police in Rachakonda Commissionerate in neighbouring Telangana, was shifted to Armed Reserve police following allegations that he spoke to the prime suspect in the killing of the businessman, a report from Hyderabad said.

US-based Chigurupati Jayaram, on a business visit to the state, was found dead with head injuries in his car on the roadside at Itavaram village, about 80 km from Machilipatnam, by a police patrol on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway. District Superintendent of Police Sarvashreshta Tripathy on Tuesday told reporters in Nandigama that police arrested Rakesh Reddy, an acquaintance of Jayaram's niece, and his house watchman D Srinivas on the charge murder.

He said financial dispute was the main motive for the murder of Jayaram, who was the Director of private Coastal Bank and also owned a pharmaceutical company in Andhra Pradesh.

Police in Hyderabad said during the course of investigation names of the ACP and an inspector rank police official in the city had "cropped up". They were accused of being in conversation with the prime suspect Reddy.

Hindustan Times reported that to recover money from Jayaram, Reddy had created a WhatsApp number in the name of a pretty woman and started chatting with the former. When Jayaram came to Hyderabad a few days ago, Reddy laid a trap for him. Impersonating as a woman, Reddy persuaded him to come alone to his house in Hyderabad’s Jubilee hills. When Jayaram arrived, Reddy and his accomplice started demanding that he return the money.

“Under pressure from Reddy, Jayaram arranged payment of just Rs 6 lakh. In a fit of rage, Reddy banged the NRI’s head on a sofa killing him instantly. As Jayaram was supposed to go to Vijayawada, Reddy tried to dispose the body on the highway near Vijayawada,” Tripathi said.

 Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat on Tuesday issued orders posting ACP Malla Reddy to armed reserve headquarters at Amberpet.

"After getting a detailed report from the Andhra Pradesh police, further inquiry will be initiated, " the Commissioner said.

(With PTI inputs)