CHENNAI: Thoothukudi corporation opposition leader S Raja (35) was arrested at Chennai airport on June 10 while attempting to flee to Malaysia on charges of cheating his sister of `17 crore. Acting on a Look Out Circular, a special team intercepted the AIADMK councillor and produced him before the CCB & CBCID Court, which remanded him in judicial custody.
According to the police, the AIADMK leader was arrested following a complaint by A Ponnarasi, who is the daughter of former AIADMK minister SP Shanmuganathan and a resident of Iyyappanthangal in Chennai. She alleged that her younger brother Raja, along with his wife Anusha, convinced her to invest in their firm, Ommeena Pharma Distributors, by promising her a 16% stake in the company. She paid him Rs 11 crore after taking a loan by mortgaging her 2-acre property in Nandambakkam, Sriperumbudur. Without her knowledge, Raja diverted a part of the funds to his other firm, Ashun Exim, for personal use, the police said.
Furthermore, Raja took 300 sovereigns of gold from Ponnarasi, promising shares in his proposed stone quarry, Golden Blue Metals, and used the proceeds to buy 40 acres of land in Thoothukudi in his name, the police said. They also forged her signature, fabricated her resignation, removed her as director, and transferred the shares to Raja. When Ponnarasi found out that she was cheated, she lodged a police complaint, based on which Raja was arrested.