Thirteen persons submitted petitions to Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali here on Monday to help them recover the money they gave to a couple who reportedly promised to help them get a government job. They claimed that they gave the couple Rs. 3 lakh each – Rs. 39 lakh in total – in December 2012 and January 2013 but could neither get the assured job nor their money back.
The complainants claimed that P. Devarajan (40), Assistant Professor in the Salem Government Arts College, and his wife Uma, teacher in a Corporation school here, introduced them to Arjunan claiming that he was a journalist working for television channels in Chennai.
“He claimed that he was closely associated with top government officials who would help them get a job,” the victims said and added that they were assured of a job in the Department of Information and Public Relations or in the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, Devarajan also petitioned the Commissioner the same day alleging that he was also cheated by Arjunan. He claimed that Shanthi of Nagapattinam, who was known to his wife, introduced her to Arjunan a few months ago. “We gave money to Arjunan to get government jobs for our relatives Gunasekaran and Sengutuvelan,” he said in his petition.
He added that a few others approached him and that he introduced them to Arjunan. “I went to meet him in Chennai on August 31, 2013, along with Kumar, Murugan, Gopi and Anand, all cheated by the person in Chennai, and was kidnapped by them,” he claimed and added that they released him near Attur after getting his signature in 25 blank cheques and in a few blank papers.
Devarajan appealed to the Commissioner to arrest the kidnappers and recover the money.
Mr. Mahali told newsmen that the case had been forwarded to the City Crime Branch Police for inquiry. The CCB police said that they would investigate the complaints, verify the facts and register a case.
