A major fraud linked to Telangana’s government 2-BHK housing scheme has been uncovered in Hyderabad, where 3 people have been arrested for allegedly cheating nearly 100 families by promising government house allotments in exchange for money.
During the investigation, police seized 79 suspected forged allotment certificates and 3 mobile phones believed to have been used in the operation. Investigators suspect the fraud is part of a larger organised network and are continuing efforts to identify other people involved.
The arrested accused have been identified as Timmiri Gopinath Pushpalatha (54), her son Timmiri Gopinath Vishal (21), and Mahender Singh (45), who operates a photocopy centre in Trimulgherry.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly collected between ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh from each victim by falsely promising allotments under the government’s 2-BHK housing scheme. Victims were allegedly convinced that the accused had influential contacts within government departments who could secure housing approvals.
Police said the fraud followed a systematic pattern. The accused allegedly built trust within vulnerable communities before issuing forged government-style allotment letters. Investigators claim Mahender Singh used digital tools at his photocopy centre to create fake documents resembling official certificates.
After collecting advance payments, the accused allegedly handed over the forged allotment letters as proof of approval. Authorities believe the victims were kept waiting for nearly 3 years before some independently verified the documents with government records and discovered they were fake.
The case came to light after one victim filed a formal complaint. During verification, police confirmed that none of the seized allotment certificates matched official government records.
Investigators have identified Jayaraj Gangadharan as the suspected mastermind, who remains absconding. Police are also searching for other suspected associates, including Nisha Raj, Chintu Raj, and a rubber stamp business operating in the Ranigunj area. Authorities believe specialised printing equipment was used to replicate official government seals and are tracing financial transactions linked to the case.
Officials are conducting forensic examinations of the seized mobile phones, financial records, and bank accounts to determine the full extent of the network. They have advised citizens to apply only through official government channels and avoid paying private intermediaries claiming to guarantee housing allotments. Authorities also urged the public to report any demands for unofficial processing fees to cybercrime units immediately.
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