CHENNAI: After nearly 18 years, the XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet, convicted four persons in a cheating case related to a vegetable business investment scam.
Those convicted have been identified as R Anuradha of Tiruchy, A Mohammed Ali Jinna of Urapakkam, M Mustafa of Maduravoyal and K Ravichandran of Chennai. They have been sentenced to one year imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 120(B) IPC and three years imprisonment under Section 420 IPC.
The case was registered in 2008 at the Mylapore police station based on a complaint from Kalpana (29) of Malleswarar Koil Street, Mylapore. She said she had been introduced to the accused through Bajaj Allianz insurance transactions.
The police said the four convinced Kalpana to invest in a vegetable trading business by promising high returns, and collected several lakhs of rupees. They had cheated many others in Chennai and other districts in a similar fashion, the police said.
Considering the seriousness of the case, the Madras HC transferred the probe to the CB-CID. During the probe, more victims came forward. Bank transactions of the four were also examined, and were arrested in 2009.