Hyderabad: In a sign of how financial investigations are going digital, Income Tax investigators of Hyderabad Benami Prohibition Unit (I-T BPU) used Google Maps timelines, IP address trails, mobile phone forensics and geospatial analysis to crack what they suspect was a benami liquor syndicate operating behind a Hyderabad wine shop.The breakthrough came when Google location history, extracted from the licence holder’s iPhone, showed that he never visited the shop even once during the licence period, despite claiming he ran it daily. Investigators then mapped internet banking logins to the homes of suspected syndicate members, tracked OTP-linked mobile numbers to Andhra Pradesh, and uncovered a WhatsApp network that shared daily sales data while excluding the nominal owner altogether. The case is emerging as a textbook example of how digital footprints and geospatial intelligence are reshaping tax and benami investigations.The investigation into the alleged benami arrangement involving Chintakindi Suresh, a Scheduled Caste (SC) benamidar, relied on technical digital forensics and geospatial analysis to establish that he was not in control of the liquor business, according to the findings. Suresh was projected as the licence holder, but investigators found that others controlled the business operations, banking access and daily sales reporting.Bank logins traced to syndicate homesInvestigators obtained IP addresses from the State Bank of India (SBI) that were used to log into the shop’s internet banking portal for high-value remittances. Using Internet Protocol Detail Records provided by ACT Internet, they traced these logins to the residences of P Raja Reddy, a former licence holder, and D Sudhakar Reddy, described as the syndicate’s accountant.Mobile phone forensics added another layer to the probe. Digital imaging of cashier Macha Govind’s mobile phone revealed a WhatsApp group named “Madhapur Wines”. The group, according to investigators, carried daily sales reports and cash deposit slips shared among 13 syndicate members. Suresh, the nominal owner, was not part of the group and did not receive these reports.The probe also found that OTPs for all banking transactions were sent to a mobile number belonging to P Murali Krishna, a third party residing in Andhra Pradesh, with no known link to Suresh. A technical comparison of Suresh’s signatures on the licence application, bank forms and sworn statements showed three visually distinct signatures, raising questions of identity misuse.Google Maps timeline clinches location gapGeospatial evidence became central to the case. Investigators extracted Google Timeline data from Suresh’s iPhone and examined his location history from Dec 2025 to March 2026. The location records, according to the probe, showed that he never visited the wine shop even once during the period, despite his statement that he visited the shop daily.Investigators also found a discrepancy in the UDYAM certificate used as address proof to open the shop’s bank account. The coordinates listed on the certificate were about 20 km away from the actual shop premises. Technical enquiries further showed a geographical mismatch among key players. The person receiving banking OTPs was traced to Kaikaluru in the Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh, while Gade Venkatesh, who allegedly shared sales data, was a resident of Mahabubnagar.By correlating the IP logs, mobile forensics, OTP trail, signature variations and location data, the Initiating Officer concluded that the liquor business was remotely managed and funded by an untraceable syndicate using Suresh’s identity as a front.
