The Sathupalli police in Khammam district have arrested another individual in connection with a massive ₹547-crore cyber fraud case. The latest arrest brings the total number of apprehended individuals to 27 out of 28 total accused identified in the illicit operation.
Sathupalli Inspector of Police Srihari executed the arrest of Nallanagula Shwethan, a resident of Khammam, who was subsequently produced before a local court and remanded to judicial custody. Investigators stated that Shwethan allegedly provided a critical corporate bank account to facilitate the financial transactions of the broader network.
Fake Corporate Entities Used to Channel Illicit Funds
According to police records, Shwethan opened a commercial current account in 2023 under the name of a fraudulent firm, Shwethan Enterprises. The account was established at the Catholic Syrian Bank (CSB) branch located in Chandrugonda within the Kothagudem district. The legal breakthrough follows a detailed confession by Adapa Ramavenkata Charan, a resident of Mushtibanda in the Dammapet mandal of Kothagudem district, who was previously apprehended by law enforcement on February 23, 2026.
Charan’s statement exposed the wider organizational structure of the ring. His associates, identified as Udathaneni Vikas Chowdary and Boppana Nagapriya, had established a front company based in Hyderabad. From this domestic base, the duo successfully established connections with handlers located abroad to manage a series of clandestine call centres targeting citizens across the country.
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Multi-Platform Exploits Guided via Telegram Applications
The international syndicate deployed a wide array of fraudulent tactics to target vulnerable individuals, luring them with false promises of exceptionally high financial returns. The network engaged in highly organized cybercrimes, including fraudulent stock market trading schemes, cryptocurrency fraud, online gaming exploits, illegal betting platforms, OTP fraud, RuPay transaction scams, and deceptive matrimonial setups.
Once victims showed interest in these artificial investment opportunities, the operators shifted communications to the Telegram messaging application. Targets were added to controlled Telegram groups where syndicate members sent compromised web links and deceptive QR codes. By exploiting these digital channels, the fraudsters systematically bypassed security verification protocols and siphoned off large sums of money directly from the victims’ personal bank accounts.
Crackdown Nears Completion as Main Fugitive Remanded
To layer and conceal the massive influx of stolen capital, the syndicate actively procured multiple “mule accounts” from various individuals across the region. The ₹547-crore network was severely dismantled following a series of calculated police raids over the preceding months.
It may be recalled that the main kingpin of the cyber fraud case, Udathaneni Vikas Chowdary, was arrested and remanded alongside 13 other co-conspirators in February 2026. Prior to his capture, Chowdary had managed to remain a fugitive evading law enforcement tracking for an extended period. Inspector Srihari confirmed that while 27 of the accused are currently in custody, a rigorous investigation remains active to conclude the final parameters of the case.
