A former Ranji Cricketer was arrested here for allegedly trying to dupe a businessman by impersonating as personal assistant of Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao, police said on Monday. A police team apprehended B Nagaraju, a former Andhra Pradesh Ranji player, who posed as PA of the Minister and tried to extort money from the management of a Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Company, a release from Hyderabad Police said. Nagaraju (25), was previously arrested in seven cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, it said, adding he is a native of Srikakulam District in Andhra Pradesh.

On November 7, he made a phone call to management of the Hyderabad-based Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Company by posing as personal assistant (PA) of Rama Rao,police said. He told them that the Pollution Control board was going to issue closure notice to their factory and said he can help them resolve the problem and demanded Rs 15 lakh,they said.