Cine stunt director Jaguar Thangam complained to the city police that he was cheated of Rs. 11 lakh by a group that misused the Chief Minister’s name.
Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, Jaguar Thangam alias S.P. Thangapazham, a resident of MGR Nagar, said, last year, his friend and director Raamkhi alias Ramakrishnan and his friend Vijayapadma offered his son Vijayachiranjeevi a role in a Tamil film titled Sandappadam .
“They told me a top executive of Jaya TV had given Rs. 25 lakh for the movie and his son would play the lead. My son would be the second lead, they said. I accepted the offer and paid an advance amount of Rs. 10 lakh,” Thangam said. They duo also furnished some photographs featuring them with the Chief Minister.
On September 13, 2012, the inauguration of the film’s shooting was held at Kamarajar Arangam and presided by a retired IPS officer. Thangam claimed he gave an additional Rs. 1 lakh to Raamkhi and Vijayapadma during the function.
“When the shooting did not commence, I gave up hope. I asked Raamkhi and Vijayapadma to return my money but they threatened me with dire consequences and claimed proximity to the Chief Minister. I realised the duo were fraudsters and approached the police,” said the stunt director.
According to the police, preliminary inspection of the photographs featuring the Chief Minister with Raamkhi and Vijayapadma revealed they were fake and generated using computer graphics. Further investigation is on.
