CHENNAI: Police have arrested a private construction company owner, Ganesh Pandian, for allegedly cheating two individuals of Rs 25 lakh and their original land documents in a fraudulent housing scheme in Tiruvanmiyur.

According to a complaint filed by Baskar, a resident of Tiruvanmiyur, he and co-owner Vanaja Seenivasan jointly owned a 5,662 sq ft plot (3,297 sq ft belonging to Baskar and 2,365 sq ft to Vanaja). In 2014, they entered into an agreement with Pandian. He promised to construct eight residential units on the land, with four houses going to the landowners and four to his company.

Baskar stated that they paid Pandian Rs 25 lakh upfront. Subsequently, Pandian introduced a man named Sairam, requesting a General Power of Attorney (GPA) in Sairam's name to facilitate construction. The victims handed over their original land documents.

However, Pandian and Sairam allegedly neither constructed the houses nor returned the money or documents. Following Baskar's complaint at the Tiruvanmiyur Police Station, a case was registered under cheating sections.

After intensive investigation led by the Inspector, police tracked down and arrested Ganesh Pandian, a resident of Kottivakkam on Wednesday. He was produced before a court, remanded to judicial custody, and sent to prison.

Police teams are currently searching for the other accused, Sairam, who remains at large.