‘Coal into gold’ and other lies: How Hyderabad gang stole Rs 1 crore

Five fake gold coins and a few pieces of coal: That is all that it took for a gang of four to convince at least 15 people that they were treasure hunters who could turn coal into gold, and also find gold long-buried under their own houses, duping them of over Rs 1 crore in the process.

Officials of the Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force, Shamshabad Zone, busted the gang with the arrest of four persons on Monday evening. Police said the gang used to particularly target elderly people living by themselves on Hyderabad outskirts and desperately looking to make money by selling their land or houses.

Police said that Mohammed Munawar, a two-wheeler mechanic, was the mastermind of the racket. “He took the help of three other bike mechanics. They all pretended to be treasure hunters who could turn coal into gold, and find gold buried in barren lands as well as underneath buildings,’’ an official said.

As part of the plan, Munawar used to dig pits at a few places beforehand and place fake gold coins and “pooja samagri” (prayer paraphernalia) there. After winning the trust of their targets, he would ask them to accompany him to the said location and dig out the coins and the samagri, which he claimed was centuries-old, convincing them of his “treasure hunting” skills, said police.

In some instances, he told the victims that the gold he found was once mere coal that got converted into the precious metal after laying buried under the earth for months, said police. Once the victims were convinced, he would accompany them to their homes, dig out a section of the floor and plant the coal, promising that it would turn into gold, and charge them a handsome amount of money in lieu of it, said police.

Munawar told police he had identified several places where he claimed to find gold. At least 11 people paid Rs 1 crore in total to Munawar and his gang on the promise of turning coal to gold, said police. Police said that they have identified another four victims who have not approached the police yet despite losing money.

As per Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police K S Rao, based on a tip-off, the Commissioner’s Task Force and Rajendra Nagar Police Station personnel conducted a sting operation and caught the four as they were about to cheat more innocent people.

Besides Munawar, Syed Ali Ashraf, Mohammed Haji, and Mohammed Salman were arrested. Police said that since Munawar’s income was not sufficient to meet his family expenses, he hatched a plan to cheat gullible persons by claiming that he had a special ability to locate hidden treasure buried beneath their houses.

After digging the ground, the gang planted a sack containing coal along with duplicate gold-coated coins, said police. After telling their victims that they must wait for some time for the coal to turn into gold, the four would flee from the place, switch off their phones, never to be seen again.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to cheating and related offences. Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states.

His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K.

Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.

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Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More