Two SOT officials behind bars for extortion attempt

HYDERABAD: Banjara Hills police have arrested two Balanagar Special Operations Team (SOT) personnel for allegedly extorting money from a pan shop owner in Yousufguda. Following a complaint lodged by the victim, the police arrested the accused personnel who were later remanded to judicial custody by court.

The complainant, Modam Srikanth, a 26-year-old pan shop owner, stated that on Thursday he received a call from his brother saying that two men, claiming to be Task Force officials, came to his shop.

The duo, identified as M Badhulla and Narasa Reddy, allegedly threatened to file a case against Srikanth for selling gutka. They demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to hush up the case, the pan shop owner said and added he and his brother detained the two men suspecting the authenticity of their ID cards.