Cryptocurrency gang: Con woman arrested at airport

The accused, identified as Padmaj Bommushetty Srinivasalu, was remanded in judicial custody on Monday, the police said. As the police had issued a look-out notice against her, immigration officials secured her when she reached the airport. A hunt has been launched for her accomplices — Aarthy Bommushetty and Joseph Clint Rodrigues.

Investigation revealed that Padmaj was about to board a flight to Malaysia to participate in a cryptocurrency-related conference.

The Anna Nagar police registered an FIR after Lakshanika alias Indrani, a pharmacist from T Nagar, moved the court stating that police refused to entertain her complaint after she lost Rs 18 lakh to the gang.

In her complaint, Lakshanika had stated that she became friends with one Madhesh on Facebook in 2017 after which he told her about investing in ‘Wow Coin’ and asked her to meet Padmaj, Aarthy and Joseph who had their office in Anna Nagar.

The trio allegedly canvassed told her that she would fetch 10 times within six months of the investing and it would increase 100 times in two years. Believing them, Lakshanika allegedly transferred Rs 18 lakh to their bank account in 2018. However, since Lakshanika didn’t receive the profits as promised, she approached them again, but the gang went into hiding.