Chennai: Convict hoodwinks police, courts for years using brother's name

CHENNAI: Police have launched a search for a man who has cheated the entire criminal justice system for several years by producing his elder brother’s name and documents in the case against him and evaded jail time, despite the higher courts upholding his conviction by a trial court.

When the police knocked on the doors of Panneerselvam, an electrician in Kancheepuram, to execute the non-bailable warrant against his name, they learned that his younger brother, Palani – the actual accused – had taken them all for a ride.

According to police sources, Palani was booked on attempt-to-murder charges in 2008 based on a complaint by a woman, whom he was living with in Trustpuram here. They had two children. Though they were in a relationship, he had told her that his name was Panneerselvam.

When she filed a complaint with the Kodambakkam police, she filed it against ‘Panneerselvam’. While Palani was arrested, the records reflected his brother as the arrested person.

A trial court held him guilty in 2018, against which he appealed before the Madras High Court and got the sentence reduced from 5 years to 3 years. He had even approached the Supreme Court to commute the sentence, but the Apex court upheld the HC’s judgment and directed the lower court to ensure his apprehension.

As ‘Panneerselvam’ did not appear before the court after the issuance of summons, a NBW was issued against him. When a police team traced Panneerselvam, he spilled the truth about his brother’s con.

Palani was working as a clerk at an advocate’s office at the time of his arrest. Police teams have been formed to trace the suspect.