Aarudhra scam: EOW issues look out notice to RK Suresh

CHENNAI: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the State police, which is handling the Rs 2,400 crore Aarudhra gold trading scam on Friday issued a look-out notice to film actor-producer and vice president of BJP’s State OBC wing RK Suresh.

The notice was sent to the actor based on an affidavit given by middleman Rousseau and all airports.

On April 11, one of the accused in the scam, Harish, told investigators in the EOW that he had given money, meant for investors, to certain functionaries of the BJP, the probe team has summoned two BJP men for a detailed inquiry.

On April 22, the Madras High Court refused to stay the summons issued by the EOW to RK Suresh asking him to appear before it in connection with the scam. The court also asked the police to respond to his petition seeking a direction to quash the summons.

Earlier, the EOW in its probe into the accused of the scam, learned that actor-producer RK Suresh is linked to the Ponzi scheme.

Aarudhra gold trading private limited, a firm, has defrauded the public to the tune of Rs 2,438 crore by collecting funds from over one lakh depositors between September 2020 and May 2022. People deposited money as they were promised exorbitant interest rates, however, the company walked back on its promise, according to police.

After investors realised that they have been cheated, hundreds of them approached the police across the state after which, in May last year, the EOW registered a case under several sections of IPC, including 420 (cheating and sections of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) act and sections of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (TNPID) Act. A total of 21 persons were booked and eight top executives of the firm including the Directors- Baskar, Mohanbabu, Senthil Kumar, Pattabiraman, and managers Rafik, Ayyappan, and two agents were arrested.

Two weeks ago, EOW arrested two persons, including a suspended functionary of Tamil Nadu BJP, K Harish (31), who was one of the directors of Aarudhra gold trading private limited.