Khammam | In a major cyber and financial fraud case, police in Telangana’s Khammam district have arrested a former Assistant Engineer (AE) of NTPC Ramagundam for allegedly cheating people by impersonating a senior finance department official and collecting money through fake promises of government schemes and loans.
According to police, the accused allegedly defrauded a local resident of ₹2.50 lakh through QR code-based transactions by promising financial assistance under a government loan scheme. The money was transferred under the impression that it was a processing or eligibility-related fee for availing the scheme.
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The arrested accused has been identified as Thota Balaji Naidu, a native of Kirlampudi village in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh. He was taken into custody by Raghunathapalem police and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
Investigating officers said that Balaji Naidu previously worked as an Assistant Engineer at NTPC Ramagundam but was dismissed from service after being allegedly caught in a bribery-related case. Following his termination, he is believed to have developed a pattern of targeting individuals using fraudulent claims linked to government schemes and financial assistance programs.
Police officials stated that the accused used to call victims while falsely introducing himself as an “Additional Secretary in the Finance Department.” He would claim that funds had been sanctioned under schemes such as the ‘Prime Minister’s Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana’ and a ‘Chief Minister’s Unemployment Scheme’, creating a sense of urgency and legitimacy to trap victims.
After gaining trust, he would demand a so-called “application or challan fee” of around ₹2,500 per applicant and send QR codes for instant digital payment. Through this method, he allegedly collected money from multiple individuals in small amounts, which accumulated into significant fraudulent gains over time.
Police said the scam was carefully structured and relied heavily on psychological manipulation. The accused allegedly first built credibility by presenting himself as a government insider, then gradually pushed victims into making payments under the fear of losing out on financial benefits.
Investigators also revealed that he used references to political leaders and official processes to further strengthen his deception. This made it easier for him to convince victims that the scheme was genuine and officially sanctioned.
Khammam police further noted that the accused has a prior criminal background. In 2016, he was reportedly detained under preventive provisions and sent to jail, and in 2025, he was again arrested in another fraud case involving alleged cheating of multiple individuals.
Officials said that after losing his job, the accused allegedly harboured resentment towards political and administrative systems, which may have influenced his involvement in repeated fraudulent activities. He is also suspected of targeting individuals he believed were responsible for his professional setbacks.
The investigation has also highlighted the use of QR code-based transactions as a key tool in the fraud, allowing the accused to quickly collect money while reducing direct traceability. Authorities are now examining whether the accused operated alone or was part of a larger network involved in similar scams across different states.
Police are continuing their probe to identify additional victims and possible accomplices. Given the structured nature of the fraud, officials have indicated that further arrests cannot be ruled out as the investigation progresses.
