COIMBATORE: Three persons, including a DMK Tirupur district functionary, were arrested by the Rural Police on Wednesday in connection with an Iridium scam.
The trio had allegedly demanded Rs 25 lakh and received Rs 5 lakh from a goat trader assuring that the finial (kalasam) would give enormous benefits to one who possesses it.
The police, in their report, have termed the object, which was seized along with other items, as an "iridium tower casket" as it was made out of a fake silver pot packed with crusher soil.
The arrested persons were identified as S Arumugam alias Bantha Arumugam (38), a Deputy Organiser of DMK's Tirupur district Agriculture Wing, K Raja (43), both from Kumarasamy Nagar in Tirupur and P Danapal (33) from Somanur.
According to the police, the complainant, P Samynathan (50), a goat trader, from Moovendar Nagar at Moolanur in Tirupur district is a friend of Danapal.
It was him who introduced Arumugam and Raja to Samynathan. The trio had claimed that they had a valuable "iridium tower casket" that was treated with holy items and added that it had enormous levels of positive energy, said the police.
"They had claimed that if someone is in possession of the finial, they will become wealthy and stay in good health. With Samynathan falling for their lies, the trio had asked Rs 25 lakh to give him the item and had received Rs 5 lakh as advance two months ago," said a police official.
However, when they delayed handing over of the kalasam claiming that holy pooja is being conducted to enhance its positive energy, Samynathan informed about the issue to the police.
On Wednesday, the three-member gang was busted by a special police team near Ambedkar Nagar in Samichettipalayam village near Periyanaickenpalayam. They had been allegedly looking to sell the item to another person, said a police official.
Later, the Periyanaickenpalayam police, who took them under custody, registered a case under sections 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of IPC.
Further, Rs 90,000 in cash, a car and the finial that was used as the "Iridium tower casket", were seized from the trio. They were lodged in prison under judicial custody.
The police suspect that the men could have cheated several people in Tamil Nadu and Kerala using similar means.