Hyderabad: Cyberabad Police Commissioner Dr. M. Ramesh invoked the Preventive Detention Act against a matrimonial fraud accused allegedly involved in 19 cheating offences since 2021. Police identified the accused as Manda Venkata Kameshu alias Karthik Reddy, 33, a native of West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.
The commissioner classified him as a “Cyber Crime Offender” under the preventive detention order. Police subsequently detained him at Central Prison, Cherlapalli, in Medchal district.
According to police, the detention aimed to prevent him from allegedly engaging in further cheating activities. The accused was a B.Tech graduate and lived at Mortha village in Undrajavaram mandal of West Godavari district, police said.
Matrimonial fraud accused allegedly targeted unmarried women
Cyberabad Police alleged that Kameshu targeted unmarried women seeking marriage alliances through various matrimonial websites. Investigators said he created fake profiles and allegedly portrayed himself as a well-settled Non-Resident Indian. He also allegedly claimed to have strong educational qualifications, a reputed family background and a high-paying job.
Police said the matrimonial fraud accused used fictitious names, including “Karthik Reddy,” to conceal his identity. According to investigators, he contacted women through matrimonial applications, WhatsApp and Instagram. He allegedly gained their confidence through emotional conversations and promises of marriage.
Police alleged that he later persuaded the women to transfer money by providing fabricated reasons. These included his sister’s educational expenses, banking problems, urgent financial requirements and restrictions on transaction limits, according to the police statement.
Police alleged misuse of financial information
Investigators also accused Kameshu of obtaining victims’ credit card details, one-time passwords and bank account credentials. Police alleged that he collected other confidential financial information and later used those details for unauthorised transactions.
They further alleged that he used the financial information for online betting activities. Cyberabad Police said Kameshu had allegedly been involved in 19 cheating offences since 2021.
The Cyber Crime Police had earlier arrested him and sent him to jail. Subsequently, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner invoked the PD Act against him. Police said the preventive detention order sought to stop the matrimonial fraud accused from allegedly committing further cheating offences.