'Takeover' bid foiled by alert staffer: Fraudsters attempt to sell city hotel to guests for Rs 165 cr

Interestingly, the accused were trying to strike a deal with the buyers from Kerala sitting at the lobby of the same property, after visiting the property several times in the last one week. The buyers were staying at the same hotel to inspect the property.

The incident came to light after an argument broke out between them on Sunday morning at the lobby. When M Mohankumar, the manager of the property, intervened, one of them fled the spot.

Mohankumar inquired the others and was shocked by their responses. While one of them Karunakaran from Teynampet claimed that he was the auditor of the hotel, another person Paramanadan alias Angel Anand from Selaiyur claimed that he was the manager of the hotel. The third person who was identified as Dakshinamoorthy of Tirumullaivoyal said that he has the consent letter from the owner of the property to sell it.

As Mohankumar knew that their claims were false, he alerted Vadapalani police and they were secured.

Investigation revealed that documents in their possession were fake. After the owner of the property Sudharshan told police that he neither had any intention to sell the hotel nor had given any documents to anybody, the gang was arrested.

Based on a complaint, they were booked under Sections 419 (impersonation) and 420 (Cheating) of IPC and were remanded in judicial custody.

Police said that one Narendran, a doctor by profession, asked the trio that to find suitable persons to buy the hotel as he owned the property. A hunt has been launched for him.