A case was registered against a noted woman Telugu TV serial artiste for allegedly cheating scores of junior artistes to the tune of Rs 5 crore after collecting amounts from them for running a private chit fund business, the police said here today.
The Hyderabad police's Central Crime Station (CCS) booked a case against absconding TV artiste Vijaya Rani, charging her with cheating and criminal conspiracy under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and launched a manhunt to nab her, a senior police officer said.
As many as 80 victims, most of them TV artistes, had approached Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma yesterday and complained that the woman artiste "failed" to pay them returns.
They said she started the private chit fund around one-and-half years ago and collected amounts from them offering higher interest rates, a police officer had said.
Victims alleged that the woman artiste made payments during the initial months, but failed to pay depositors for the past four months, after which she went absconding, he said.
Further investigations are on.
