Three arrested 15 days after murder of college student

Police have arrested Deepan Chakaravathi (25), a financier from Adambakkam; Rajesh (23) from Keerapakkam, a private firm staffer; and Parthiban (37), a lorry cleaner from Padiyanalur near Tiruvallur.

The deceased, Saravanan, a second year student of mechanical engineering at Sairam Engineering College, had promised to arrange an engineering seat for Deepan’s friend and collected Rs 1.2 lakh. But he failed to get the seat and did not return the money.

Saravanan went missing on January 22 after leaving home at night to meet his friends. On January 28, the Kaayar police recovered his body from a stone quarry in Keerapakkam. It was tied to a stone and dumped there. A case was registered and a hunt was on.

On January 26, Saravanan’s friend Dhanraj received an SMS from Saravanan’s mobile number seeking Rs 5,000 and asking it to be deposited to his friend’s account - but without any mention of the account number. 

The killers apparently sent the message to create an impression that Saravanan was alive, but that was what led the police to them.

When they traced the mobile phone signals and IMEI number, the special team found that the mobile phone from which the SMS was sent belonged to one Hari of Tiruvallur. 

When Hari was grilled, they found that he had sold four old phones at a shop in Moor Market on January 25 and bought a new mobile.

Police found from the shop owner that a three-member gang bought one of the phones for Rs 500 on the same day. From the CCTV footage from a nearby shop, they found the trio. 

After Saravanan’s family identified Deepan from the photograph, police arrested Deepan from Adambakkam on Thursday. Based on the information he gave, Rajesh and Parthiban were arrested.

The accused initially said the murder happened over a drunken brawl. But probing further, cops found that Saravanan had collected Rs 1.2 lakh from Deepan for securing an engineering seat few months ago. 

But he neither arranged for the seat nor returned the money, leading to the plot to murder him. However, the trio claimed that they did not take his bike.

Police have arrested all three and remanded them in custody.