02-07-2025
Tirumala police arrest man for cheating artists with fake cultural event
Vijayawada: Tirumala I Town police arrested an accused on charges of cheating and illegally collecting money from artists and cultural groups by promising to organise a two-day 'Srinivasa Kalarchana' cultural programme at Tirumala Asthana Mandapam in Tirumala.
The police seized Rs 14 lakh from the possession of the accused, identified as Suthrapu Abhishek (28), a native of Kazipet, Warangal district of Telangana.
According to the police, the accused collected around Rs 35 lakh from a total of 93 cultural groups, consisting of 9,300 artists across the two Telugu states, promising to provide food, accommodation, darshan, prasad, mementos, and a shawl from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), besides organising a two-day dance cultural performance with them at Tirumala.
However, the accused, who had no authorisation from TTD, collected money from artists by misusing the names of TTD and Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad (HDPP).
The police said a case was filed against the accused at Tirumala I Town police station under sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the BNS Act. Special teams, led by SI D Ramesh Babu and staff, under the supervision of CI G Vijaya Kumar, were formed on the directions of Tirumala DSP Vijaya Sekhar to apprehend the accused.
During the investigation, SI Ramesh and his team arrested the accused on Tuesday, seized Rs 14 lakh from his possession, and produced him before the Tirupati magistrate, who sent him to judicial remand.
The police department urged artists and cultural organisations to be vigilant against fraudulent individuals and informed them that no individual or organisation can organise any event without the permission of TTD and HDPP.
