Techie uses mobile app to detect hidden cameras in hostel

The accused Sathyaraj (48) took two apartments for rent in Thillaigangai Nagar at Adambakkam and opened an apartment sharing facility for women. He advertised about the hostel online and specified that he would only rent it to IT and medical professionals. He also advertised that the hostel is well equipped with hi-tech facilities.

Since past two months, five IT professionals, all women and another nurse were living in the apartment. Police said that Sathyaraj used to visit the hostel on a regular basis and check all the rooms, including restrooms very often.

Three days ago, a woman software professional, joined the list of tenants. Police said the girl was paranoid about safety and would check all the new places she would start living in using a hidden camera detector mobile application. 

She applied the same process in this case as well and to her shock, found secret cameras fixed in the shower, dressing table mirror, lamps and switch box in the bedroom. She immediately informed the other inmates. Later, on Monday, all of them decided to visit the police station and approached St Thomas Mount Deputy Commissioner and filed a complaint. The DC informed the Adambakkam police and asked them to conduct enquiries in a discreet manner.

When police questioned Sathyaraj on Monday night, he said that the girls were lying and had filed a false complaint against him since he did not reduce the rent for them.

Police then took him to the hostel along with an electrician and when they checked all the areas indicated by the mobile app, found small video cameras fixed inside them.

Sathyaraj continued to plead innocent and kept saying that he was clueless regarding the cameras and had no idea who could have done such a thing.

However, when police checked his office room at the hostel, they found 16 basic mobile phones and 50 fake PAN and Aadhaar cards.

Upon further investigation, police found Sathyaraj has cases filed against him for cheating people in a loan case of 2011. Police seized the four secret cameras and arrested him. A native of Tiruchy, Sathyaraj lived with his wife and children in Hasthinapuram, Chromepet.