Family of three arrested in Chennai for cheating Rs 20 lakh on promise of government jobs

CHENNAI: The Washermenpet police have arrested three members of the same family for allegedly cheating three people of Rs 20 lakh by promising them government jobs.

The complainant, Chitra (28) of Bojarajan Nagar, Old Washermenpet, works as a contract nurse at the Government Kasturba Hospital in Triplicane.

In June 2025, one of the accused, Sasikala had visited hospital for treatment and after interactions with Chitra, Sasikala promised her a staff nurse job at a government hospital. Sasikala also managed to convince her friend, a male nurse at a private hospital in Bangalore, that he could get a Health Inspector job. Through him, she contacted a woman promising her a teaching job.

Believing Sasikala, the three victims paid Rs 20 lakh in cash and online transfers since January 2026. However, Sasikala stopped attending Chitra’s phone calls and dodged her and threatened her when she demanded the money back after which the victims filed a police complaint.

Police arrested Sasikala (40), her husband, Hussain alias Kumar (43) and their daughter, Divya Darshini (22). Enquiries revealed she was a clerk at a lawyer’s office and Kumar works as an online food delivery executive. All three were produced before a magistrate and remanded to prison.