CHENNAI: A 52-year-old former Airports Authority of India (AAI) official, who allegedly cheated 12 people of Rs 23 lakh by promising permanent jobs at Chennai airport and its air cargo offices, was arrested by the police.

The accused, Kumari Kala of Malaipattu village near Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district, had worked as a senior superintendent at Chennai airport before taking voluntary retirement in 2025.

After retirement, she reportedly operated a goods vehicle rental business under a contract at the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in Tambaram Sanatorium. Her work frequently took her to the airport's cargo section at Meenambakkam.

Officials said Kala allegedly claimed she could secure well-paid airport jobs for educated youths from the families of the goods vehicle drivers working under her. She reportedly collected between Rs 1lakh and Rs 2 lakh from each person and issued job application forms.

However, the applicants who paid the money that she demanded did not receive the job even after six months. When they questioned her, Kala allegedly told them their applications had been sent to the AAI headquarters in Delhi and that appointment orders would follow.

It was only later that the drivers learnt that Kala had retired and was no longer associated with the airport. When they asked her to return the money, she went into hiding.

Twelve drivers and their family members subsequently lodged a complaint with the Joint Commissioner of Police (South), following which the Chennai airport police registered a case and formed a special team to trace her. The team arrested her two days ago.

The investigation reportedly revealed that she had allegedly collected money from others on similar promises even while in service, and that the AAI had previously conducted a departmental inquiry against her.

Based on the complaints from the 12 victims, the police registered a case involving Rs 23 lakh, produced her before a court, which remanded her in custody at the Puzhal central prison.