Platinum rule: Choose low-profile victims

A never-ending thirst for easy money made Sukash alias Balaji Chandrasekar hog headlines again in 2009. This time he posed as the sons of former Union minister T R Baalu and Karnataka revenue minister Karunakara Reddy, one half of the notorious Bellary brothers. By then, about 14 people had already fallen victim to his tricks and ended up losing `57 lakh. Consumed by such ill-gotten wealth, Sukash developed a passion for high-speed cars, turning into an avid drag-racer calling himself the ‘Drift King’.

Having acquired the necessary skills and efficiency in forgery, Sukash got in touch with several businessmen and offered to clinch big government contracts for them after convincing them of his “clout” in the echelons of administrative power.

His modus operandi was simple. First, he would browse through government websites searching for tenders and would then contact businessmen who dealt in the specific sectors. He used to maintain strict caution while hunting for potential victims. Major players were a big no no as they could see through his cover. Companies that were just coming up would be his favourites.

He was also armed with a bunch of aliases before every con job. At the time of his arrest in Bengaluru, Sukash was Balaji. Several cars, including a Ford, Maruti, Toyota and Skoda, were also seized from his possession. As many as 14 cheating cases were solved following his arrest.