Rs 2.25 crore suspected hawala money seized

The police seized Rs 2.25 crore, suspected to be hawala fund, and Rs 72 lakh in foreign currencies from Karaikudi, in Sivaganga district, on Saturday. Three people were arrested in connection with the incident while one individual was handed over to the Income Tax department.

According to the police, Subbiramani (48), who sells foreign goods in Karaikudi, registered a complaint with the police that he had given Rs 45 lakh to one of his relatives, Vasanthi, for his son’s admission into a medical college but someone else had collected the money in his absence. The unknown person had disappeared and he suspected his driver, Narayanan, was behind the incident.

During the interrogation, Narayanan confessed that he had decided to steal the money with the help of his kin, Selvaraj, from Kariyapatti. As planned, Selvaraj was sent to Vasanthi’s houseto get the money. They money to one Sekar, from Ramanathapuram, and absconded.

Following his statement, police caught Sekar and seized the amount. But Rs 2.25 crore were recovered from the bag along with foreign currencies worth Rs 72 lakh. Narayanan, Selvaraj and Sekar were arrested and were taken to Karaikudi.

Since the police suspected that the seized amount could be hawala money they alerted the Income Tax Department and Subbiramani was taken into custody.