Chennai: Remember Karakattam artiste Mohanambal in Vellore from whose house Rs 4 crore cash was seized two years ago? Her nephew Saravanan (33), who was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 3 crore, was found dead with stab injuries on the hill side in Old Town in Vellore on Wednesday. Mohanambal, her sister Nirmala and the latter's son Saravanan were arrested by the police after the seizure of cash in 2014. All the three were allegedly involved in red sander smuggling.
Police said that Saravanan went out of his house in Vasanthapuram on Sunday and never returned. His wife Devi Bala later received a ransom call for Rs 3 crore from gangster Johnny alias John Paul Raj, with a threat saying that if the money was not delivered, the gang would eliminate her husband. She informed the police about the development. However the police could only trace the Saravanan's body. “His body was found near the hill side. His hands and legs were tied. His throat was slit and there we-re stab injuries on his body,” police said.
Police arrested two persons including a 17-year-old youth, believed to be members of the gang, but Johnny is absconding. “We are looking for as many as eight persons in connection with the kidnap and murder. Three special teams have been formed to nab the suspect,” the police said. Saravanan and his aunt Mohanambal were in the news in June 2014 when police raided the folk artiste’s rented premises at Tharapadaveedu in Vasanthapuram and seized over Rs 4 crore cash and 600 gm of gold. After the seizure police had arrested Nirmala while Mohanambal and Saravanan surrendered.
Police had also arrested a few others and disclosed that the seized money was linked to their involvement in red sander smuggling. All the three were out on bail. Saravanan is survived by his wife and two children.
