Karnataka man cheats Chennai firm of Rs 2.6 crore promising imported car, arrested

CHENNAI: The Teynampet police arrested a Karnataka-based man for allegedly cheating a private firm of Rs 2.6 crore after promising to secure an imported car.

The police registered a case based on a complaint from T Ramkumar (45), a director of the firm that is reportedly linked to a minister in the State Cabinet. In 2024, the company decided to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 ZX for official use and approached the arrested accused, Anup Sumith Fernandez from Karnataka.

Anup promised to get the imported car through a private company in Hyderabad and assured that the vehicle would be delivered within 40 days after full payment. Believing him, Ramkumar transferred a total of Rs 2.6 crore in two instalments.

However, Anup neither delivered the car as promised nor returned the money.

Based on a complaint filed by Ramkumar seeking action against Anup and recovery of the money that he had paid, a case was registered. As Anup was abroad at the time of booking the case, a Look-Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On October 5, when Anup arrived at Mumbai airport from Qatar, the authorities at Mumbai airport detained him and handed him over to the local police station. He was brought to Chennai, produced before a magistrate, and remanded in judicial custody.