Fake godman from T’malai who conned elderly persons nabbed

After arresting the godman from Tiruvannamalai, the police said that the accused had been targeting elderly persons who visited their ashram and register their addresses. They have also launched a hunt for three more persons in connection with the case.

The victim, Chandrapaul Pandian (65) of Teachers Colony in Neelankarai, went to Tiruvannamalai with his family members last month and visited an ashram on the foothills. With help of the address he shared with the people at the ashram, five men visited his house in a car on July 21. They reportedly told the family that they would perform a puja to ward off the evil spirit that was affecting them, and cited Chandrapaul’s son’s death five years ago.

Believing them, Chandrapaul allowed them to carry out the rituals. The men collected a four-sovereign jewel for the puja. Chandrapaul realised that the gold was missing only after the gang left the premises.

He lodged a complaint at the Neelankarai police station and a special team was formed to nab the suspects. With the help of CCTV footage, the police found the registration number of the car and secured its owner. After he told police that he had sold the car six months ago, the vehicle’s new owner, Senthil from Katpadi, was secured for investigation. He admitted to the police that it was his relative Udayakumar and his gang who conned the family.

“The ashram in Tiruvannamalai, run by one Joseph, collects details of the visitors and send men to the houses. If they find elderly people alone in the house, they would offer to perform puja and escape with jewels,” said the police.

While the fake godman J Joseph (67) was arrested from Tiruvannamalai, his accomplice Udayakumar was arrested in Chennai with help of his mobile phone location. The stolen gold was seized and the duo was remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.