Absconding accused in COVID essentials fraud case held

The arrested was identified as B Gnanprakasam (52) of Alandur, who was running a firm called Icon Office Equipments. The police said he was a close aide of the main accused, KVN Rajan, Deputy General Manager of Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Ltd, who was arrested by the CCB in August.

The police said Rajan, of Ambattur, allegedly approached ICMC Pvt Ltd, a fertiliser company in Ambattur, claiming that they have bagged the order to procure masks and gloves. Rajan reportedly told the proprietor, Kannan, that ITI Ltd as a government entity did not have the provision to invest money in advance and requested him to make the investment and promised that it would yield profits. Believing him, the company sent Rs 3.20 crore but did not get the masks or gloves as told.

In another incident, the CCB has arrested two men on the charges of grabbing land worth Rs 3 crore from its owner using forged documents. Among the accused, John Jacob registered a general power of attorney for the 4,800 sq ft land in Panaiyur in his name by making someone pose as the land’s owner, Sapthasayi. The other accused, Rajkumar, is a close aide of John Jacob.