Seven persons, including the son of former AIADMK Minister C.T. Chellapandian, were arrested on charges of hijacking a container truck transporting cashew worth ₹1.10 crore meant for export and kidnapping the driver here on Saturday.
Following a complaint from Muthukumar, an employee of the lorry booking office, Thoothukudi, Superintendent of Police Jeyakumar directed the police to register a case.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the container truck was transporting cashew, weighing 16 tonnes, from an export firm in Killiyur in Kanniyakumari district towards VOC Port in Thoothukudi two days ago.
It is said that truck driver, Hari, 40, of Alangulam in Tenkasi spotted a car following him. Sensing trouble, Mr. Hari reportedly shared this information with another lorry driver and also shared the registration number of the car.
As the truck was approaching KTC Nagar in Tirunelveli district, the car overtook it and forced Mr. Hari to stop the truck at Pottaloorani.
Within a few minutes, the seven occupants of the car pulled Mr. Hari out of the truck. Two of the seven persons got into the truck and drove it away even as the others followed it. Mr. Hari was pushed into their car.
The SP formed a special team, comprising ASP Sandeesh and Inspector Ramesh.
After alerting major checkposts and toll fee plazas, the team tracked the vehicle to Kakaneri in Rasipuram in Namakkal district. After detaining the suspects and seizing the truck, the police team registered a case.
Based on the confession of the accused, the SP said two among the seven-member gang, Pandi and Vishnuperumal, had got into the truck and driven it. The gang tried to kidnap the driver and sell the cashew through their network in Karur district.
The role played by the former Minister’s son was not yet clear, and a senior officer said they would conduct a discreet probe soon.
The police gave the names of the arrested persons as Gnanaraj Jebasingh, 39, son of Mr. Chellapandian of Annai Teresa Nagar, S. Vishnuperumal, 26, of Bryant Nagar, G. Marimuthu, 30, of MGR Nagar, S. Manoharan, 36, of Mattakadai, M. Pandi, 21, of Nesamoni Nagar, Mullakadu, V. Senthil Murugan, 35, of Murapanadu and D. Rajkumar, 26, of Palayamkottai.
The police said they had recovered 16 tonnes of cashew worth ₹1.10 crore and the truck valued at ₹10 lakh. The car used by the gang was also seized.
