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Hyderabad: Bachupally Police has booked a 50-year-old priest and his wife for allegedly cheating a software engineer of Rs 20 lakh in Hyderabad.

The accused were identified as Chamarthi Ramalatharao aka Rama Sarma and Prameela Rani, and their associate Manchikanti Venkata Raghavendra Vara Prasad.

Police said the complainant, Naveen, had handed over his house keys to Sarma’s family, requesting them to feed his fish since his family were travelling abroad.

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Sarma’s family allegedly stole the electricity bill, Aadhaar card and PAN card from Naveen’s residence, and forged signatures. They created a fake website claiming to have established ‘Sri Gurudatta Lakshminarasimha Guruvambika Peetham’ at the same address and allegedly collected huge donations from devotees.

The fraud came to light when Naveen found that an account had been opened in a private bank in KPHB Colony in the name of the Ashram and transactions were being carried out.

Speaking to Siasat.com, the Bachupally police said that the case was registered on August 27 and the accused are currently absconding.

Priest and wife cheated same victim twice

The priest and his wife were previously arrested in a cheating case, where they targeted Naveen again. “The priest befriended Naveen and his wife Bhavya while living in an apartment in Pragathi Nagar. In 2023, the priest sought financial help, promising to repay within three months,” said the Bachupally police.

Trusting the priest, Naveen transferred the money. However, the accused fled to the United States. Based on a complaint by Naveen, the police registered a case and issued a lookout circular against Sarma.

Sarma was intercepted by immigration officials at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport when he returned to India in June, handed over to the Bachupally police, and remanded to judicial custody.

He was later released.