Chennai: The City Police picked up a couple from Andaman who were absconding in connection with an Endorsement Fraud (EDF) involving Rs 6 crore collected from a senior citizen promising him an apartment complex. The couple, brought to the City on Monday, was remanded to judicial custody.
The arrested were identified as Shajahan (43) and his wife Najima Banu (38). They were picked up from Mayabunder in Andaman last Saturday. The duo, along with another couple - Shakeela (56) and Kaleel (62) - ran a private construction firm at Rajakilpakkam. The four of them took '6 crore from L. Santhanakrishnan (63), a resident of Ashok Nagar, to build an apartment complex in a prime spot in the City.
As the four kept dodging on getting the project going, Santhanakrishnan requested them to return his money saying he would find another builder for his project. Unfazed, the respondents ignored him and avoided meeting him. A year ago, Santhanakrishnan preferred a petition in the grievance redressal day at the City Police Commissionerate. Subsequently, the Central Crime Branch sleuths registered a case.
As interrogations corroborated the claims made by the complainant, a manhunt was launched. Shakeela and Kaleel were arrested on April 28 while her brother Shajahan and Najima Banu went underground. Following a tip-off, cops traced the absconding couple to Mayabunder and arrested them.
