COIMBATORE: Lured by high profits and benefits, a retired headmaster was swindled Rs 85 lakh by three persons, including a Block Educational Officer (BEO) and her husband in Tirupathur.

Chitra (58), a BEO in Alangayam in Tirupathur district, her husband Selvam (65) and Sampath (67) promised Parthasarathy (75) of Natrampalli to get him shares of a private school and get high returns as profits.

They asked him to pay Rs 50 lakh as the first instalment and Rs 35 lakh in the second instalment to become a shareholder in the private school. When he sought the benefits, the trio dodged him and gave him an improper response.

Suspecting that he was scammed, he registered a complaint with the police. Dharmapuri crime branch registered a case based on his complaint and arrested all three. They also suspect the trio similarly duped many others of up to Rs 12 crore. Further inquiries are underway.