VELLORE: Folk dancer Mohanambal (54) of Katpadi, who was wanted in the case of seizure of `4 crore from her residence a fortnight back, surrendered before a court in Vellore on Monday, ending speculations that she had gone underground.
Mohanambal was brought in a wheelchair to the Judicial Magistrate (JM) Court-V, along with her sister Nirmala, by her advocates and deposed before the Magistrate.
The Magistrate, after hearing the case, remanded her and Nirmala in three days’ judicial custody and issued a direction that they be produced at the Katpadi court on June 11, for further legal proceedings.
It may be recalled that the police, acting on a tip-off, had seized `4.04 crore in cash and 73 sovereigns of gold from a house in Dharapadavedu area near Katpadi on May 25.
It was suspected that the money and jewels belonged to the folk dancer and that she and her relatives could also be involved in smuggling of red sanders and other crimes that including money laundering.
A case had also been registered in this regard. Following this, it was reported that Mohanambal had gone missing and the police had launched a hunt to trace her.
On Monday, accompanied by her sister Nirmala, Mohanambal surrendered before the JM court and claimed that she was undergoing treatment for her knee problem at a private hospital in Chennai all these days and had undergone a surgery as well. She maintained that she was an illiterate and denied her hand in smuggling or money laundering.
The police, however, opposed her bail plea in the court. The Magistrate remanded Mohanambal and her sister Nirmala in three days’ judicial custody with a direction that they be produced at the Katpadi court on June 11.
After Mohanambal was remanded, she was taken to the women’s prison in Vellore. Police is on the lookout for one of her relatives Saravanan, who is at large. Police would be getting the custody of Mohanambal and her sister in this connection soon for further enquiries.