She used to pose as an Additional Superintendent of Police in the Tamil Nadu Police Academy and travel in an expensive car with police sticker affixed on the front.
Many graduates aspiring for a career in uniform were pinning hopes on this 25-year-old suspect who promised to get them jobs in the Police department. By the time the youths sensed foul play, K. Charulatha alias Sauthamani of Virugambakkam had relieved them of Rs. 17 lakh.
On a tip-off that a woman and two others posing as police officials were going around collecting money from unemployed youth promising them the post of Police Constable (Grade-II), Commissioner of Police T. Rajendran formed a special team of the Washermanpet police.
The team intercepted the suspects on Thursday evening when they arrived in Washermanpet to meet a job aspirant. Charulatha was in sports attire carrying the emblem of the Tamil Nadu Police Academy. She was also in possession of uniform, fake identity card and other accessories usually used by police personnel.
“Though Charulatha claimed to be a double post-graduate, investigation revealed that she had studied only up to Plus Two. A native of Tiruvannamalai, the accused shifted to Chennai a few years back and was living in Virugambakkam. The mannerism of the accused and her associate R. Dileep Kumar (25) of Mogappair East appeared like that of a police official,” an investigator said.
Displaying the uniform and fake identity and credit cards seized from the accused, Mr. Rajendran said about 12 youths had lodged complaints that Charulatha cheated them after promising jobs in the Police department. “We suspect that there could be more complainants. Investigation is on to check if the accused persons had any links with police personnel,” he said.
When asked about frequent complaints of suspects posing as police officials, a senior police official said public can call the Police Control Room if they come across suspicious persons claiming to be police.
