Chennai: Nine including SSI try encashing fake cheque for Rs 10 cr, nabbed

The cheque was issued in the name of one Ram Charan Co, Egmore, by a Delhi firm, said the police, adding that one Koushik, representing Ram Charan Co, and six others are absconding.

The arrested special sub-inspector was identified as P Murugan, attached to Thondamuthur police station in Coimbatore. Murugan is currently on seven days’ medical leave and has been staying at a hotel in T Nagar with his friend, Savithri, who has been also arrested.

The two allegedly colluded with the other accused and tried to present and transfer a cheque of Rs 9.99 crore issued in favour of Ram Charan Co at Punjab National Bank, Purasaiwalkam.

But when they presented the cheque, the bank manager grew suspicious and sent a mail to the company that issued it, Dilip Build Con Limited, Delhi. He received an immediate reply from that firm informing that the cheque was already cleared in 2018 for Rs 8,737 to one Sachin Sen. But this cheque resembled the original, said officials.

Following this, the bank manager lodged a complaint at Kilpauk police station. During investigation, the police found the involvement of nine persons directly and seven persons indirectly. The nine were secured from the bank itself, and are being interrogated. The case is being transferred to CCB for further probe.

The other arrested were identified as Prasad Mathew of Kozhikode, Kerala, Akim Raja of Tiruchy, Vijayakumar of Dharmapuri, Banumathi of Virugambakkam, Narayanan from Purasaiwalkam, Gopinath from Madurai, and Sushil from Tiruvannamalai.