CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) has arrested a 60-year-old man who had been absconding for nearly 20 years after mortgaging a woman’s property using fake documents to cheat a bank of Rs 37 lakh.

The complainant, P Philomina Rani owned a 6,772 sq ft plot at Valasaravakkam, Chennai. The accused, Leemaraj, obtained a fake legal heir certificate and created forged documents in collusion with another accused, Harinarayanan, and mortgaged it at a private bank in New Delhi to avail a loan of Rs 37 lakh.

Based on a Rani’s complaint at the Chennai Police Commissioner’s office in 2007, a case was registered at the CCB and a final report was filed before the court. As the second accused, Harinarayanan, remained absconding, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore, issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against him.

After intensive investigation, the team arrested the absconding accused, P Harinarayanan. (60) on Friday (October 9). He was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Egmore, and remanded to judicial custody as per court orders.

Police Commissioner A Amalraj appreciated the CCB special team for tracing and arresting the accused who had been absconding for about 20 years.