A group of 17 people petitioned the Supeintendent of Police urging action against a man, who had duped them of Rs 35 lakh by promising jobs in the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL), here on Friday.
The petitioners alleged that S Mariappan, a resident of Vengamedu in Karur district, had assured them of jobs at the TNPL unit operating from Kagithapuram at Velayuthampalayam near here. He had reportedly told them that he had a good rapport with the higher-ups in Chennai and could use his rapport to procure jobs for them.
The victims, from across the State, said that Mariappan had introduced himself as a partner of a private textile exporting firm. He had told them that the TNPL had vacancy for various posts, including supervisors, computer operators, data entry operators, drivers and others.
Assuring them jobs in the company, he had taken money from them on several occasions. However, when there was an inordinate delay in getting jobs, the victims approached Mariappan, who sent them back assuring that they would get the call letters soon. Later, when the victims tried to contact him, he did not respond to their calls. When they visited his house, they found that Mariappan and family were absconding.
According Dhana Lakshmi, one of the victims and the wife of Mahadevan from Namakkal, “I had given Mariappan money and gold ornaments worth Rs 4.15 lakh on various occasions. He had promised me a job in the TNPL. He exuded confidence saying that several ministers and higher officials were his friends and he would have no difficulty in getting me employed.”
Another victim, Balu, an MSc Computer Science graduate from Karur, said that he had given `1.80 lakh as Mariappan assured him a computer operator job in the TNPL. He got acquainted with Mariappan through a mutual friend.
Police officials said that they were looking into the matter. Sources said that police were trying to check the veracity of the petitioners’ claims and if found true, proper action would be taken.