Chennnai: The Shankar Nagar police have launched a search for a man who cheated a jeweller of 24 sovereigns of gold in Pallavaram, on Saturday evening.
According to police, the victim Prakash Kumar (48), owned a popular jewellery shop near his house in Pallavaram.
On Saturday evening around 4:30 pm, Prakash received a call from one Dr Govindharajan* (non-existing person) from a popular private eye hospital in Pammal. The alleged doctor who made the call asked Prakash to bring four gold chains of a particular design to his hospital. The doctor said, one of the hospital staff was retiring that day, and as the felicitation function was going on, he had asked the jeweller to bring the chains to the hospital.
Without a second thought, Prakash Kumar sent the gold chains to the hospital through his employee, Venkateshan (32).
Police sources said, "When Venkateshan came to the hospital, a man intercepted him and asked him to give the six chains which Dr Govindharajan had asked for, stating that the doctor was busy with the function, and had wanted him to fetch the jewels.
Believing him, Venkateshan gave away the six gold chains worth 24 sovereigns to the man, and was waiting to receive cash in return for the jewels given. But, the man did not return.
Following this, the employee enquired with the reception and found that the man was not an employee of the hospital, and that there was nobody called Dr Govindharajan. Realizing that he was conned and robbed, he immediately alerted Prakash Kumar, who lodged a complaint with the Shankar Nagar police.
Shankar Nagar police registered a case and have identified the man from the CCTV footage from the hospital. Investigations are on.
It may be noted that the accused had earlier robbed a jeweller in Kancheepuram using the same modus operandi on May 7. Sivakanchi police are investigating that case.
