CHENNAI: After finding a bag filled with cash, a man from Pulianthope went on a spending spree, buying his wife a two-sovereign chain, a motorcycle for his son, redeeming the jewellery he had pawned a few months ago, and even giving some money to relatives for expenses. Now, he is cooling his heels in jail after the police identified him from CCTV cameras.

Dinesh Kumar, a silver merchant with a shop in Ayanavaram, had sold silver ingots at a store in Sowcarpet on March 2. While returning home on his two-wheeler with the cash, his bag accidentally fell off near Pulianthope. Kumar only realised his loss only after reaching Otteri and immediately lodged a complaint with the Otteri police.

Police analysed CCTV footage and tracked down the person who took the bag, identifying him as Ashok from the KP Park area in Pulianthope. A search was launched to apprehend him. Meanwhile, realising that the police were searching for him, Ashok surrendered before the Egmore Court on March 9 and was subsequently lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in judicial custody.

Following a court order, the Otteri police took Ashok into custody for interrogation. Based on his confession, police have managed to recover Rs 18 lakh in cash so far.

Ashok reportedly confessed to squandering Rs 8 lakh of the found money to buy jewels, bike, redeem pledged gold, and lend it to his relatives. The police are now questioning three more individuals, including Ashok's wife.