Female cop arrested in extortion case

Visakhapatnam: Police have arrested Swarna Latha, the controversial policewoman who was earlier arrested in 2023 and later reinstated, and Balaga Sudhakar, who impersonated an ACB inspector to intimidate the Madhurawada sub-registrar, on Thursday.Both were remanded in custody by a local court till May 21.Swarna Latha served as the vice-president of AP State Police Officers Association and currently works as an armed reserve inspector in Bapatla district. Officials indicate her continued fascination with cinema led her to pursue unlawful activities.The case came to light when Sudhakar, posing as an ACB CI, attempted to intimidate Madhurawada sub-registrar Chakrapani. Noticing his suspicious behaviour, Chakrapani alerted the authorities, leading to Sudhakar's arrest on Wednesday. Sudhakar named that he was asked by Latha to extort money from the sub-registrar.Latha had gained statewide attention following her arrest in a Rs 2,000 notes exchange case on July 7, 2023. Her recent involvement came to light through Sudhakar's call records. Her aspirations for an acting career led her to use illegal means for financial gain. She pursued acting and dance training and promoted herself through a film poster titled ‘AP 31'. Her dance performances and promotional materials gained significant attention on social media platforms.