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Hyderabad: City police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has taken serious note of allegations that a sub-inspector harboured a wanted interstate economic offender accused of cheating victims across five states of nearly Rs 3,000 crore, reportedly after striking a deal of Rs 2 crore following his arrest. Sources said the commissioner is personally monitoring the probe and has directed the special branch, law and order and task force teams to investigate on priority and submit immediate reports. “The commissioner is keen to find out whether the accused escaped on his own or was aided by the sub-inspector,” a police officer said. The special branch has launched an internal inquiry, while law and order officials, during a departmental probe, inspected a police quarter in Begum Bazar where the sub-inspector and two others allegedly met accused Vuppalapati Satish and fixed the deal to help him flee to Maharashtra. Investigators have questioned two sub-inspectors, head constables and constables who were aware of the proposal. Satish, wanted by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW-CCS) for cheating several investors, had allegedly collected Rs 25 lakh from Hyderabad-based Dr P. Vinay Kumar, son of former Union minister P. Shiv Shankar, in the name of business. Officials said both departmental and internal inquiries are underway to verify allegations that the SI demanded Rs 2 crore to shield Satish. Investigators are examining the SI’s call data, GPS logs and CCTV footage from Sadasivpet to confirm whether he met Satish. “We have been instructed not to disclose investigation details until the charges are proven. Action will follow based on the evidence,” a senior officer said. It is also alleged that after Satish, his wife Shilpa, and an associate were arrested and were being taken to Maharashtra for recovery of assets, the SI diverted his team and allowed them to flee. Reliable sources said Satish and his family have now been taken into custody by the commissioner’s task force with help from Maharashtra police, who are tracing the fraudulent assets.
