Offering acting roles, trio cheats youngsters of lakhs

Lured by the offer, one of the victims paid money that was meant for his college fees, the police said, adding that they have arrested the father and one son, while the other son is absconding.

The arrested persons have been identified as S Kannan of Chepauk and his son K Kavithiran (26). Kannan, said to be a DMK functionary, is also a history-sheeter at Triplicane police station. Kannan’s younger son, Nivithiran, is absconding, the police said.

The father and son were arrested based on a complaint lodged by one M Moorthi (21) of Kallakurichi, Nivithiran’s classmate. The police said Moorthi, a BSc Visual Communication student, stayed at a mansion at Triplicane.

In 2017, Kannan had produced a movie titled ‘Namma Kadha’ featuring his elder son Kavithiran in the lead role. But he suffered loss in the venture. To make up for it, Nivithiran allegedly asked Moorthi for money, promising to cast him in their next movie titled ‘Route’. Believing him, Moorthi allegedly gave him Rs 1.20 lakh, which he had kept to pay the college fee.

However, since then, there was no progress in the project. When he failed to get a response from Nivithiran after that, Moorthi started demanding the money. Instead of returning the money, Kannan and his two sons allegedly started threatening Moorthi.

The police said their investigation revealed that the trio has cheated many youngsters in a similar manner. So far, they have received four more complaints against them. Kannan and Kavithiran were remanded in judicial custody, while a hunt has been launched for Nivithiran.