A panchayat president in the district was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of cheating after he allegedly failed to arrange employment abroad for many persons as promised.
Police gave the name of the accused as P. Rajamanickam (38) of Mudukupatti in Rayavaram. He was the president of the Ayankudi panchayat and also the student wing deputy organiser of the DMK. Police sources said Rajamanickam had allegedly collected around ₹30 lakh from many persons promising them employment abroad. However, he neither arranged employment nor returned their money. The Pudukottai Town police have registered a case against the accused under IPC sections including 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).