Two men held with Rs 24 lakh cash wrapped around bellies

Police identified the two as Abu Bakr from Mannadi and Mohammed Khani from Ramanathapuram. “The two were standing near the ATM on TTK Road – Gowdiya Mutt Road junction when the night patrol police spotted them. Seeing the cops, the two tried to move away from the spot but the patrol team stopped them. During a body search, the police found the two had bundles of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes tied around their body,” police sources said.

They gave contradictory answers about the source of the money and did not possess any documents to show that the cash they were carrying was not black money. One of them claimed the money was given by his employer from Ramanathapuram. “Once the employer comes here and explains to us, we will know whether or not it was hawala cash,” the police said. Police suspect that the two were there possibly to deposit the amount in different accounts.

In March first week, Triplicane police had seized Rs 17.80 lakh unaccounted cash from 28-year-old man, a resident of Mannadi. While he was depositing the cash through an Indian Bank ATM kiosk on Anna Salai, another person who was waiting behind him for a long time alerted the police officers.

When policemen on patrol reached the spot and checked the man, they found that the man had cash amounting to Rs 17.80 lakh.

As he failed to produce valid documents, he was taken to police for further inquiry to ascertain the source of the money.