CHENNAI: Police have arrested a former front office manager of a star hotel on Anna Salai for allegedly embezzling approximately Rs 28.13 lakh from the establishment.
The fraud was uncovered by Parvez Nizar, the hotel's General Manager, and a resident of Thousand Lights. During a routine financial audit, the manager found discrepancies amounting to Rs 28,13,607 allegedly committed by Prabhu, who was then serving as front office manager.
Based on a complaint at the Thousand Lights Police Station, a case was registered. A police team led by the Crime Inspector conducted a probe and identified Prabhu (29), a native of Idukki, Kerala, as the prime suspect.
As investigations revealed Prabhu had travelled to Bangkok, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was subsequently issued. Upon his return to Chennai from Bangkok on Thursday, immigration officials detained him at Chennai airport. He was then handed over to the Thousand Lights police. Police seized two mobile phones, an ATM card, and a two-wheeler.
The investigation found that Prabhu allegedly committed the fraud by diverting cash payments made by hotel guests to his bank account instead of the hotel's account and processing guest credit card payments to the hotel's account, then fraudulently cancelling those transactions and crediting the amounts to his account.
Prabhu was produced before a court on Friday and remanded in judicial custody.