Chennai police constable placed under suspension for aiding fraudster

CHENNAI: City Police have placed a woman constable under suspension after it has emerged that she acted as a benami for a fraudster and also allegedly tipped him off about police movements.

The constable, Ajimol who was attached to the Harbour police station was in regular touch with BM Reddy alias ‘Lion’ Muthuvel of Villivakkam, who was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the city police in July for cheating a Madurai-based engineering college owner Mohammad Jaleel promising to get NRI funding Rs. 200 crores as a loan. Reddy had taken Rs.5.4 crores as commission from him and conned him.

Jaleel had met BM Reddy, who posed as a big financier, at his office in Villivakkam. Jaleel sought Muthuvel to get a loan to develop his college business. Muthuvel demanded Rs. 5.46 crore, a 2 % commission, for his service to initiate his work.

Though Jaleel honoured his promise, Muthuvel dragged instead of getting the loan as he had promised.

Based on Jaleel’s complaint, the central crime branch sleuths registered a case and arrested BM Reddy, his accomplices M Sankar, 34, of Villivakkam, and D Issakiel Rajan, 37, of Katpadi in Vellore.

Reddy is presently detained under the Goondas act after police found his involvement in several financial crimes. Subsequently, police took steps to freeze 13 bank accounts and at least 15 immovable properties of BM Reddy, when details about constable Ajimol’s long term acquaintance with him emerged.

“During our investigations, it has emerged that the constable had acted in connivance with Reddy on several occassions and there are some properties, Reddy acquired through fraudulent means, which are registered in her name, ” a senior police officer with CCB said.

After a note from the CCB to the top brass about the constable’s involvement with Reddy, she has been placed under suspension.

CCB is also analysing if criminal action can be initiated against the woman constable under the benami act. Police sources said that she had a stint in CCB a few years ago.