KOCHI: Gangster Thammanam Shaji has been arrested by the police for allegedly threatening a businessman who failed to repay borrowed money. It is after a long period that Shaji, who claimed to have left criminal activities behind, is being booked in a case in Kochi.
After recording the arrest, Shaji was released on bail. The Palarivattom police registered a case following the complaint of an Elamakkara resident who runs a women’s hostel in Kochi.
“The complainant borrowed around Rs 15 lakh from a Poonithura resident. However, he failed to repay the amount. To get the money back, the lender approached Thammanam Shaji.
On January 3, Shaji contacted the complainant. Later, he was asked to reach a plywood shop in Thammanam. There, Shaji and four others detained the complainant and threatened him of dire consequences if he did not clear the dues,” a police officer said.
Later, Shaji’s close aide Noushad, a resident of North Paravoor, contacted the complainant and repeated the threat multiple times.
The complainant was threatened that only after repaying the money will he be allowed to run his business, the officer said.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against Shaji, Noushad, Nisam Babu, Nabil, and an unnamed person who can be identified. The police have slapped charges of wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, extortion, and causing nuisance under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Kerala Police Act.
“Shaji and another person were arrested in the case. He was later released on bail. The investigation is in the preliminary stage. We are tracing other accused persons,” Palarivattom Station House Officer Firose A said.
The police are checking whether the complainant was linked to Shaji. His detailed statement will be recorded.
The police suspect that the complainant has not revealed the entire details, including the amount of money borrowed. The intelligence wing of the Kerala Police is closely tracking the case after Shaji’s name resurfaced after a long sabbatical from criminal activities. A majority of gangsters currently active in Kochi once worked under Shaji.